Uitzicht vanaf het koor op het schip van de kathedraal van het Heilig Kruis en Sint Eulalia in Barcelona c. 1851 - 1890

Editor: This gelatin silver print, dating somewhere between 1851 and 1890, captures a stunning view of the Barcelona Cathedral. The perspective from the choir is almost dizzying; all those verticals give me the sensation of looking up into the heavens, literally! What is your perspective, looking at this gothic artwork? Curator: Ah, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia! It’s almost like stepping back in time, isn’t it? This photograph, likely commissioned, captures not just architecture, but the very soul of Gothic ambition. I feel the weight of centuries, a certain austerity mixed with soaring aspiration. What strikes you most about the photographer's choices? Are they playing with light, perhaps? Editor: Now that you mention it, I didn't even notice the light! But look how it pours in from those windows, contrasting with the dark corners. Did the photographer manipulate the image to enhance the drama? Curator: It’s a fair question! Manipulation in those days was quite different from today. More about careful exposure and development. The goal, I imagine, was to evoke that sense of awe, to capture the dialogue between darkness and divine light that’s so central to the Gothic experience. Notice the sharpness too, that desire for documentary clarity… it's rather beautiful! How does that all land for you? Editor: Beautiful, yes, though also imposing and undeniably heavy, with all that detail! It seems as if every corner contains a story! I do now wonder what it was like to witness this architectural behemoth in person, back then. Thank you, that was enriching. Curator: Indeed. For me it emphasizes how photography in its early years sought to capture and preserve these colossal monuments – it aimed for immortality itself. Thank you!