Fundering van de binnenkeer- en schutsluis te Vlissingen 1869

Editor: Here we have A.L. Preuninger’s photograph, “Fundering van de binnenkeer- en schutsluis te Vlissingen,” taken in 1869. It's a photograph that, due to its sepia tones and composition, gives the impression of peering back through time. The workers and the vastness of the construction site fill me with wonder about the ambition of that period. What strikes you most when you look at this piece? Curator: Oh, absolutely! I feel myself sinking into that mud! The photograph, with its light pencil work, to me, serves as a beautiful reminder that every grand structure begins with a foundation – often unseen, yet absolutely critical. But also it’s beautiful that Preuninger captured, in what was at the time, state-of-the-art technology, these workers toiling and collaborating with each other. What do you make of their position in the photo? Editor: It seems to humanize a process that could easily be represented in a purely technical manner. Almost like the people are tiny cogs in a giant machine! Do you think that was a deliberate choice on the photographer's part? Curator: It certainly feels deliberate, doesn't it? There's a strong compositional choice being made. The focus isn't solely on the lock itself. It's about the synergy between nature, industry, and humanity... What would the space that they work in feel like without the other folks next to them doing the same thing? Editor: That makes me think about our relationship with infrastructure, now, too...we tend to take it for granted. I didn’t realize how much storytelling could be packed into what I first perceived as just a documentary photograph! Curator: Precisely. And remember, dear friend, every picture tells a story. Some are just whispered more softly than others, inviting us to listen closely.