Gezicht op Church Street in westelijke richting met het Kerkplein van Pretoria op de achtergrond 1901

Editor: This stereoscopic image, "Gezicht op Church Street in westelijke richting met het Kerkplein van Pretoria op de achtergrond" – quite a mouthful! – seems to be from 1901, rendered in gelatin silver print. The grainy texture and sepia tones evoke a sense of a dusty, bustling street from a bygone era. I am curious about how you see this piece. What draws your eye? Curator: I see a photograph meticulously crafted for mass consumption. Consider the gelatin silver print – an industrial product enabling widespread reproduction. Its materiality signifies accessibility. This isn't some unique, revered object, but a readily available commodity offering a vicarious experience. Note too that it's a photomontage. This brings into question the photographic 'truth' and asks what processes went into making this picture. How much manipulation, and why? Editor: So, you’re less focused on the depicted street scene itself, and more on the photograph as an object within a wider system? Curator: Exactly. Observe the imprint of Underwood & Underwood, a publishing juggernaut, advertising its studios worldwide. This photograph wasn't simply taken, it was produced, branded, and distributed, just like any manufactured good. That's what dictates the meaning and importance of the image. The cityscape then, is raw material for economic processing. Who is able to see this photograph? What kind of person consumes it? What are they consuming, actually? The image, or an idea? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't thought about it that way, but framing it as a manufactured object certainly changes how I see the entire scene, its production, consumption, and overall effect. It emphasizes that this is a constructed image and the materiality has cultural and political implications. Curator: Precisely. And hopefully that enriches your understanding.