Eetzaal in het stadhuis van Parijs c. 1860 - 1880

Curator: What a stately photograph. This gelatin-silver print, titled "Eetzaal in het stadhuis van Parijs"—"Dining Hall in the Paris City Hall"—offers us a glimpse into the late 19th century. Ernest Eléonor Pierre Lamy captured this interior scene sometime between 1860 and 1880. Editor: My immediate impression is one of rather subdued opulence, it looks more like a stage set than a functional dining area. It also looks cold in a way, despite the chandeliers and ornate wallpaper. The chairs are placed rather formally; everything has such deliberate order and structure. Curator: Absolutely. Look at how the photograph emphasizes the long, seemingly endless table, and notice the way the perspective draws your eye to a vanishing point in the distance. Photography in this era was tied to a Realist agenda that sought an accurate reproduction of things in the world. We are also seeing this interest with photography, like this example by Lamy, gaining increased recognition within public institutions like museums, offering artists ways of participating and commenting on larger social discourses of class and national identity. Editor: It's striking, isn't it? The table, dressed as it is, appears entirely untouched, or as if it has never actually been used. Who sat here, and what were the discussions held in such a rigidly structured environment? Beyond that, what material were used? Look at the texture of the chairs and table cloth. Are the plates ceramic or metal? Curator: The starkness truly highlights the formal, almost theatrical setting. One imagines powerful civic figures gathered here; it would serve not just sustenance, but also to reflect the power of Paris itself. Furthermore, if you look at it in light of photographic history, we see photography's evolving role in constructing narratives around power, prestige and governance. The Hôtel de Ville served as an important site of these performances, with the making and circulation of photographic images integral to this process. Editor: The fact it's a gelatin-silver print really brings into focus the process, especially the labour involved in crafting an image like this. And it makes one think of the consumption habits it embodies – those luxurious dinners – and also consider, you know, whether such displays of material wealth align with egalitarian principles one might expect of a modern city hall. Curator: I agree, that's an interesting angle to approach it. This image opens up a fascinating discussion on representation, materiality, and socio-political commentary. Editor: Definitely something I'll be thinking more about.