De Brink te Deventer 1873

Curator: This is "De Brink te Deventer" by Johann Heinrich Martin Bosse, taken in 1873. It's a gelatin silver print capturing a bustling cityscape in the Dutch Golden Age style. Editor: It has such a wistful feel! The sepia tones give it a romantic quality, despite the almost severe architectural lines. Curator: Bosse was a fascinating figure; his photography really reflects the civic pride of the burgeoning Dutch middle class. Cityscapes like these became incredibly popular. It reflects a visual assertion of the built environment in a time of rapid industrial expansion. Editor: Absolutely, and that central building--the Stad Waag, I believe-- it practically radiates power. Look at its intricate detail, set against the flat square and more humble buildings. It almost overwhelms everything around it! There's a real weight to that building in this image, almost like it's anchored by all of those visual elements! Curator: It’s interesting that you key in on the “weight," because photographs such as these really bolstered civic identity in the Netherlands. By creating durable, reproducible records of place, Dutch people in the Netherlands were better able to feel connection to their homes. Before this level of image dissemination, seeing home meant visiting home! Editor: And it's clear how consciously Bosse crafted that visual language. Consider the arrangement of people – blurred yet present – it invites you to witness a very specific cultural and urban performance of late 19th century Dutch identity. I wonder, do you see any evidence that he thought his work could carry significance beyond simply showing city? Curator: Certainly, the formal, almost staged arrangement and that striking contrast would be conscious choices to create the most aesthetically engaging, symbolically charged view possible, appealing both to locals and viewers across national borders, even today. Editor: This photograph gives such strong testimony to the enduring power of cityscape. It reminds us about urban environments of centuries ago, how they shaped those living in them, and their power to endure through photography today! Curator: Yes, and hopefully provides just a bit of insight into Dutch culture at the dawn of photography.