Monument voor keizer Frans I, ook de Fontein van Kranner genoemd, Praag 1855 - 1868

This photograph by František Fridrich captures the ‘Monument voor keizer Frans I’ in Prague. The photo itself, though small in scale, reveals a great deal about the process of monument making. The stark, unadorned quality of the photograph is a far cry from the monument’s intricate, ornate, and Gothic Revival style. The original object would have been carved from stone, by a skilled artisan. It would have demanded countless hours of labor, and a high degree of expertise, to produce. The contrast between the monument's grand scale and complexity, and the humble nature of the photograph speaks volumes about the relationship between power, labor, and representation. This image invites us to consider the wider social context in which such monuments are created and consumed, highlighting the tension between the values of fine art and craft, and the realities of labor and production.