Highlanders 1856

Editor: Okay, so we’re looking at “Highlanders,” a gelatin silver print from 1856 by Joseph Cundall, at the Met. My first thought is how strikingly posed these men are. It feels like a theatrical tableau vivant, doesn’t it? I’m curious, what stands out to you when you look at this photograph? Curator: You know, it strikes me as a powerful commentary on Victorian masculinity, with a healthy dollop of the performative. They’re so impeccably presented. Look at the fur hats! Glorious. A little ridiculous, too, perhaps. Editor: Ridiculous? How so? Curator: Well, consider the context. Photography was still finding its feet. To stage this kind of elaborate scene…it wasn’t just a snapshot. It’s a carefully constructed image of authority and tradition. It feels almost satirical to me, a quiet wink at the grand posturing of Empire. Do you sense any irony? Editor: Hmmm, maybe a hint of irony in the… gravity of it all. I’d been so focused on the composition and formality, I hadn’t considered a more subversive reading. Curator: Art often whispers, doesn’t it? Think of those hats – are they symbols of strength, or a bit of costuming? Are we meant to be impressed, or to maybe smile knowingly? That tension is where the art lives, for me. Editor: I see what you mean! The contrast between the seriousness and the… well, the sheer *fluffiness* of those hats is really interesting now. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. A good art experience makes you rethink your assumptions, don’t you think?