Interieur van de Sint-Romboutskathedraal in Mechelen 1866 - 1870

Editor: So, this is “Interieur van de Sint-Romboutskathedraal in Mechelen” taken between 1866 and 1870 by Jules Hippolyte Quévall, a gelatin silver print held at the Rijksmuseum. The way the light falls really makes me feel like I’m standing in that very spot! What can you tell me about this work? Curator: The print’s very creation speaks to shifts in both photographic and architectural consumption. How did Quévall’s process enable wider access to, and even potential modification of, established monuments? The choice of gelatin silver suggests a deliberate focus on mass production; consider the labour needed, the materials sourced, the intended audience for these architectural views. Was this meant for the elite, or something more democratized? Editor: Democratized architecture, interesting! What sort of impact would making architectural imagery available in a print format like this have on the public and consumption of these buildings? Curator: Think about how photography altered the understanding of space, craft and labour itself. These images were commodities, transforming experiences into objects. Did this cheapen the original spiritual purpose of the building, or did it disseminate architectural knowledge, transforming viewers into consumers of culture in a whole new way? And how do these photographic reproductions compare to the building itself? Editor: So the means of producing and distributing these photos directly informs how people see and relate to this architecture? It’s not just about the image, it’s about the context of its creation and the people who engaged with it! Thanks, I see it now. Curator: Precisely. Looking at art from the vantage of material culture is essential for getting an interdisciplinary and wholistic understanding of visual material!