Onbekende personen met paard met wagen bij een poort before 1920

Curator: Looking at this fascinating albumen print, entitled "Onbekende personen met paard met wagen bij een poort" – "Unknown People with Horse and Cart by a Gate"–dated before 1920, what’s your immediate impression? Editor: There's an interesting, almost cinematic quality to it, wouldn't you agree? It reminds me a bit of early documentary filmmaking; a glimpse into everyday life that feels very authentic. Curator: Absolutely. The materiality of the print itself, with its characteristic sheen and subtle imperfections, adds to that feeling. The albumen process, a common technique at the time, involved coating paper with egg white, which creates this particular glossy surface. Consider the effort, the sheer labor, involved in producing a single print like this in that era. The photographer, Donald Mennie, must have intended this photo to speak about people's routine. Editor: It speaks volumes about the societal context. Note the people and their interactions framed within the architectural structure; the archway. It becomes a stage, highlighting the socio-economic dynamics of the time, perhaps reflecting a controlled movement, suggesting some socio-economic dynamic at play, who passes through that arch and why? Curator: Indeed, the frame of the arch acts almost like a proscenium. Given the realities of photographic processes then, one can see it staged even it if attempts to display an innocent view. Do we interpret that movement as labor, travel or trade? I see a distinct interplay of the manufactured and the organic materials, from the brick arch to the flesh of the animal; they contrast. I would like to dig deeper to the materials being exchanged in order to further the discussion of power structures within society at the time. Editor: That relationship with power makes the image very engaging. Considering the album context suggests intended reception, it's also important to consider how images like this might have shaped public perception of different cultures and societies. The power of representation, who controls it, and who gets represented are all fundamental aspects here. Curator: Yes, definitely. Mennie’s work and process force us to reconsider these assumptions about art versus documentary, or even staged-documentary and how that impacted not just the time's economy but also what gets produced afterwards. Editor: It all circles back to power—in imagery, technology, and historical record. A complex thing for one photograph to provoke! Curator: An incredible image that showcases more than the mere representation within. Editor: Agreed; much more than first meets the eye, prompting discussions about image-making power dynamics that continues today.