Schoorsteenmantel in een woning te Oudenaarde before 1889

Editor: Here we have a photographic print of "Schoorsteenmantel in een woning te Oudenaarde," or "Chimney piece in a house in Oudenaarde," created before 1889. It seems to be an interior shot emphasizing the architecture. It’s all rather ornate. What strikes you when you look at this image? Curator: What jumps out to me is the materiality of the photograph itself. Think about the process – someone had to physically arrange this room, light it, expose the plate, develop the image. This wasn't instant. What does this meticulous production process suggest about the status of this fireplace? Editor: It shows this fireplace was important to capture, almost like a portrait, so to speak. What was it made of, and where did the material come from? Curator: Exactly. The print provides clues but leaves much unsaid. The inscription at the bottom notes it's made of sculpted stone dating to the late 15th century and coming from a house redeveloped by Henri van Pede, based on the plans for the city hall. So, think about that labor: quarrying, carving, transporting heavy stone. Editor: So much effort went into making that! And then more effort to create the photograph of it. What do all the smaller metal objects mean in this context? Curator: Those objects draw our eye in different directions: the fireplace and the decorative metalwork. But let’s remember that metal working and stonemasonry, while we call them “arts,” are still trades involving labor. Was there tension between “high” art like sculpture versus the skilled labor of decorative craft? Editor: Interesting perspective. It makes me wonder about the social standing of those craftspeople and artists. The print as evidence almost obscures those workers by highlighting the commissioner. Curator: Precisely. Analyzing art through this material lens helps us ask whose stories get told and whose labor is often erased. I have to say, looking through it this way changed my views somewhat.