Zeilschepen in de haven van Volendam c. 1900 - 1910

Editor: Here we have an early gelatin-silver print from around 1900-1910, "Zeilschepen in de haven van Volendam," credited to G. Hidderley. It depicts a harbor full of sailing ships. I find it so compelling because of the reflections in the water; they really activate the space. What are your thoughts about this gelatin print? Curator: Well, as a materialist, I am instantly drawn to the process involved. The choice of gelatin-silver printing speaks to a particular moment in photographic technology, doesn't it? What was the intention behind that choice of medium at this time? And I wonder how Hidderley's access to these materials may have shaped their artistic output. Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn't considered the material constraints. I was more focused on the composition and the subject matter itself. I also read that this photograph is associated with Japonisme, the French fascination with Japanese art. What's the connection between that and this work? Curator: Japonisme affected not only the visual arts, but also how artists considered their own production, their own craftsmanship. How might Hidderley have viewed the labor of producing this image, given the heightened awareness of craft traditions happening at that time? Think of the social conditions for the artist: a new medium being widely adopted with many of these photographs being traded or sold as commercial items rather than ‘fine art.’ Editor: So you're suggesting that the context in which it was made – the materials available, the artistic trends, and the burgeoning photography market - are crucial to understanding the work? Curator: Precisely! It challenges the notion of the artist as solely an individual genius, drawing attention to the network of material and social relations in which they operated. Editor: I see! I learned a lot by considering the photograph not only as a picture, but also an artifact deeply rooted in the process of production. Curator: Agreed, recognizing the materiality really helps open it up!