Bartolomeo de Aguero of Seville (circa 1600) 19th-20th century

Curator: This is "Bartolomeo de Aguero of Seville (circa 1600)," a gelatin silver print dating from the 19th or 20th century, by Lejaren à Hiller. You can currently find it here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: What a theatrical composition! There’s such dramatic lighting. It looks like a scene ripped straight from a Shakespearean play. I’m drawn to the man standing, arms outstretched; is he a healer, perhaps? Curator: Hiller specialized in photographic narrative, frequently reconstructing historical or literary moments. In this photograph, he recreates a dramatic scene evoking 17th-century Spanish courtly life. We see elements characteristic of historical painting and portraiture. Editor: The poses of the figures and their expressions feel very intentional, staged. And the focus on class and gender dynamics is also striking – the woman with the child seems vulnerable. It seems to invoke notions of both power and helplessness at once. Curator: Absolutely, and we see the active negotiation between painting and photography emerging. Notice the architectural backdrop; the archway allows for these characters to be lit, and how their bodies relate to this space tells a complex story of control and freedom. It’s a crafted realism meant to convey historical drama and social dynamics. Editor: It is an interesting commentary on how different communities are impacted when the social structure breaks, revealing inequities based on race and class that become really apparent when the rules change. What would this piece suggest about the construction of historical narratives, and who gets to control them? Curator: It forces us to consider how history itself becomes a spectacle, carefully crafted and performed for an audience. The photograph freezes a moment, asking us to examine the stories we tell ourselves about the past. Editor: It certainly provokes reflection on who is rendered visible in these grand narratives and whose stories remain in the shadows. A lot to unpack. Curator: Indeed, a lens through which to contemplate the ongoing dialogue between history, art, and social change.