Gezicht op Glen Chess 1865 - 1870

Curator: Here we have a page from an album featuring a gelatin-silver print titled “Gezicht op Glen Chess” – a view of Glen Chess. The photo dates back to somewhere between 1865 and 1870 and the image is attributed to H.V. Lemenager. What's your first impression? Editor: Austere, almost unsettling in its formality. That pale, somewhat ghostly luminescence combined with the rigidity of the building creates an intense presence. It's a world away from a cozy cottage; more like a statement. Curator: Yes, the monumentality strikes me too. In terms of symbols, I immediately key into the chimney; not just as a marker of industry or domestic comfort but also as a symbol of power. Rising vertically, the chimney suggests ambition, striving. It almost resembles an obelisk, linking this dwelling with ancient symbols of authority. Editor: Precisely! And look how meticulously the building is captured, every window a dark, watchful eye. This precision suggests a deliberate attempt to convey not just the appearance of the building, but also its inherent value – both monetary and social. It’s saying: ‘Here stands a testament to achievement'. The lack of people reinforces this sense, doesn't it? It's the architecture that speaks, embodies, dominates. Curator: Interesting point. This absence magnifies the cultural and societal role of "the estate". Instead of daily life, with gardens, fields, villagers or workers, we witness something constructed, designed to last. It communicates permanence. But does the perfection hide something else, perhaps anxiety about the passing of time and the precariousness of status? Editor: It very well might. There is an intentional artificiality to it – from the meticulously trimmed bushes to the unwavering architectural symmetry, which is something deeply embedded in the symbolism of established power and tradition. Even the gelatine silver print gives the entire composition an elegant air. But is there vulnerability in putting it on display? Is there fear of not passing the test of time? Curator: Possibly, and that tension creates a rich ambiguity that makes it, even now, fascinating to gaze at. It goes far beyond an attempt at capturing the landscape and presents the social landscape as one to be studied, examined, almost judged. Editor: Indeed. We started with a house, and somehow arrived at a mirror reflecting anxieties of the time. These subtle power dynamics really give a whole new understanding of landscape imagery.