Pfaffendorfer Brücke over de Rijn bij Koblenz 1864 - 1882

Curator: This photograph, “Pfaffendorfer Brücke over de Rijn bij Koblenz,” by Laurentius Herzog, likely an albumen or gelatin-silver print dating from 1864 to 1882, presents a compelling image. The starkness of the industrial railway tracks in the foreground against the elegant bridge raises questions. What is your take on it? Editor: The bridge is quite beautiful. The rigid railways and angular buildings below contrast to create a tense mood. What about the piece resonates with you, considering its materiality? Curator: I am most interested in the implied labor involved in creating the photograph itself and the scene it depicts. Think about the mining and processing of silver for the gelatin-silver print, the construction of the bridge, and even the laying of those tracks. Consider the economic forces driving the rapid industrial expansion evident here. This image isn't just about aesthetic beauty; it documents material processes and power structures at play. Editor: I never considered the labor involved in early photography. What about the composition, especially how the artist staged the trains and the bridge? Is there a deeper connection? Curator: The railways, rendered with sharp lines and tangible presence, are very carefully situated. The train lines slice across the foreground like an assembly line pointing directly at the more aestheticised backdrop. It's as if Herzog is underscoring a transition, celebrating the efficiency of labor whilst also elegizing its output in civic building works. Editor: It's interesting how framing the artwork through labor and consumption really opens it up. Thank you for highlighting these aspects. Curator: Of course, and thinking about the materiality allows a deeper conversation than just a surface read of landscape.