Milk Vendor, Group from Life, Naples c. 1870

Editor: This is Giorgio Sommer's photograph, "Milk Vendor, Group from Life, Naples." It's a fascinating document, capturing what seems like an ordinary scene, yet the setting feels almost staged. What does this image tell us about the labor of milk production in Naples at this time? Curator: Precisely! Consider the materiality: the photographic paper itself, the chemicals used in its development, and their accessibility. Sommer was catering to a tourist market, wasn't he? This image, therefore, becomes a commodity representing a romanticized version of Neapolitan life, packaged for consumption. Editor: That's interesting. So, the 'authenticity' is almost beside the point? Curator: Exactly. The staged quality speaks volumes about the desired narrative. We are buying into the image of labor, rather than experiencing the reality of it. And who profits from this image and this labor? Editor: That gives me a lot to think about regarding the social implications of even seemingly straightforward documentary photography.