Stadhuis van Wroclaw, Polen 1878

Curator: Here we have an albumen print from 1878 by Sophus Williams, titled "Stadhuis van Wroclaw, Polen"—that is, the Wroclaw Town Hall in Poland. What are your first impressions? Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by how static and staged it feels. The lighting is soft, almost blurring details, yet everything is so carefully composed. It evokes a sense of quietude, but also perhaps a sense of being controlled or constructed. Curator: That sense of control is interesting, particularly in the context of 19th-century photography. Photography at the time, while seemingly objective, was very much influenced by the prevailing social and political climates. The inclusion of horse-drawn carriages and what seem to be city dwellers adds to that controlled realism. This building as the city hall served as a stage for governing social practice and order. Editor: Precisely. The architecture itself speaks to power – those soaring spires, the intricate detailing, it’s a visual language of authority. And photographing the town hall and offering such prints plays a specific role: visualizing state power in an era when mass politics starts mobilizing populations across different geographical boundaries. It’s an attempt to define and preserve what’s deemed important. Curator: Absolutely. And, as a stereoscopic image, it presents a doubled view, potentially suggesting objectivity or completion, yet also highlighting the constructed nature of seeing. Its production as a commodity for consumption and distribution contributes to how people visualized both foreign lands and local authority, reinforcing the values it embodies. Editor: Considering Wroclaw's complex history – its identity shifting between Polish, German, and Prussian control over the centuries – the photograph's perspective gains more meaning. Is the photographer, as a Berliner, highlighting the strength of German civic life or something else? The image isn't merely a neutral representation but a product deeply intertwined with questions of national identity and belonging. Curator: This piece certainly encourages reflection on the intertwined nature of architecture, photography, and sociopolitical messaging. It's fascinating to peel back those layers. Editor: Indeed. It invites us to consider whose stories are being told and whose are being silenced in these seemingly straightforward representations of the urban landscape.