Microscopische vergroting van kikkerbloed before 1905

Editor: This is "Microscopic Enlargement of Frog Blood," a print on paper using photography by Nachet, sometime before 1905. Seeing the enlarged blood cells like this makes me feel almost like I'm looking at stars in the night sky. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, firstly, that immediate, emotional response is valuable! I see here an attempt to make visible what is normally unseen, echoing humanity's enduring fascination with the hidden realms of nature and existence. We are invited to ponder the microscopic world mirroring the cosmos – a visual symbol of the interconnectedness of all things. This evokes older symbolic notions, like alchemy or astrology. Does that cosmic resemblance speak to a specific belief or cultural anxiety of the time, perhaps related to scientific discovery reshaping older worldviews? Editor: That’s a great point about the interconnectedness of everything, the small mirroring the large. I hadn’t thought of that connection. So, is the symbol of the blood cell then almost like a microcosm, encapsulating life itself? Curator: Precisely. And in earlier thought traditions, blood itself carries deep symbolism as the very essence of life, power, and even lineage. Making blood visible on this scale changes that. Now it becomes an object of scientific study, potentially losing some of its sacred connotations. It may not be intentional, but science changes symbols as we examine nature in closer and different ways. The piece shows shifting cultural values attributed to the image of blood. Editor: It’s fascinating to think about how the shift from seeing blood as something sacred to something scientific is embodied in this image. Curator: Exactly. I believe this image serves as a potent reminder of the ongoing dance between scientific advancement and the evolution of symbolic meanings, a continuous cultural and psychological negotiation that photography actively participates in.