Interieur van een zijkapel in de Dom van Regensburg, Duitsland 1855 - 1885

Editor: This gelatin-silver print from somewhere between 1855 and 1885, credited to Joh. Laifle, offers us an interior view of a side chapel within the Regensburg Cathedral. The print feels so sharp for something so old, but muted because of the tones. What strikes me most is how the architecture feels both incredibly ornate and massive yet captured with such precision. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, for me, the power lies in understanding the materials and the means of its production. Consider the physical labor involved in quarrying and transporting those immense stone blocks, shaping them, and raising them to such heights, and then let’s examine the cost. This wasn’t simply an aesthetic choice, it's an economic, societal, and technological statement about labor. Who profited, who toiled? And what impact did the cathedral have on its physical and social surroundings in Regensburg? Editor: That's a fascinating perspective. So, beyond just seeing the architecture, you’re considering the social and economic framework that made it possible? Does that framework have some kind of imprint on the image? Curator: Absolutely! And then we can delve into the chemistry and printing techniques Laifle employed. What choices of material went into its production, what labour did it involve? Editor: That's such a different lens than the ones I usually consider. Looking at the print itself, rather than simply *through* it. Curator: Precisely. The means of production informs the art itself. The consumption of the photographic image – its role in disseminating and documenting cultural power, and reinforcing or challenging hierarchical systems - is also very important to me. Editor: It is amazing how many things factor into a photo or piece of art, and I never thought to view them with those priorities. It definitely puts things into perspective. Thank you!