Gezicht op het Edams Museum te Edam 1895 - 1918

Editor: This gelatin silver print, "Gezicht op het Edams Museum te Edam" by Jan Siewers, made sometime between 1895 and 1918, showcases a building in great detail. The texture of the brick is almost palpable. What catches your eye when you look at this photograph? Curator: I'm drawn to the very materiality of the photograph itself, as well as the building it depicts. The gelatin silver process speaks to a specific moment in the history of photography, one heavily reliant on industrial production and chemical processes. Consider the labour involved, not just in taking the picture, but in preparing the photographic materials, and the distribution networks that made this kind of image widely available. How does this relate to the architecture of the Edams Museum? Editor: That’s a really interesting connection! I hadn't considered the industrial aspect of the photographic process itself. Do you see a relationship between the photographic technology and the building materials and style? Curator: Absolutely. Bricklaying, the precise arrangement of individual units, echoes the detailed and controlled process of gelatin silver printing. Also consider that the building itself houses artifacts and presumably tells stories of labor, industry, and the local community. It prompts us to reflect on the consumption of images and how they circulate within a particular social and economic framework. It also allows us to consider the craft of photography itself, its own materials, techniques, and forms of knowledge. What social context do you imagine led to the commissioning or the taking of the photo? Editor: I guess, looking at it through that lens, it’s more than just a pretty picture of an old building. It really makes you think about the relationship between art, labor, and the means of production in both photography and architecture. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: Exactly. By analyzing these elements, we gain a deeper appreciation for the art's connection to its historical context and its relevance today.