Gezicht op Gap of Dunloe before 1867

Editor: This is "Gezicht op Gap of Dunloe," a landscape photograph from before 1867 by John Hudson. It's an albumen print. It’s presented as part of an album. What immediately strikes me is the materiality; the texture of the rocks seems palpable. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see an exploration of how the materiality of landscape was being translated into a new visual commodity. This albumen print, made through a complex chemical process, presents the rugged Gap of Dunloe as something both wild and consumable. Think about the labor involved: the mining of materials for the photographic process, the processing itself, the act of lugging bulky equipment into this landscape. What's being extracted and consumed here, beyond the visual representation of a mountain? Editor: I hadn't considered the extraction aspect. So, it’s not just about appreciating the beauty of nature, but also about the industrial processes necessary to capture and disseminate that image. Does that tie into the rise of tourism at the time? Curator: Absolutely. Photography played a crucial role in promoting and shaping the tourist experience. These prints became souvenirs, tangible evidence of a journey undertaken, and a demonstration of access to technology. How does the Romantic style depicted here affect how people back then understood industry? Editor: So, this seemingly natural scene is actually steeped in the realities of industry and commerce, repackaged and sold to a burgeoning consumer culture. Thanks for highlighting that! It makes me wonder what lies beyond just the rocks and surfaces we see in the photograph. Curator: Precisely. Consider, too, that we have an *album* here - many pictures, suggesting an intentional and elaborate making of something. Now, how does that contrast with what we think about single snapshots and photography today?