Gezicht op Bamberg en de Michaelsberg, Duitsland 1860 - 1890

Editor: Here we have "Gezicht op Bamberg en de Michaelsberg, Duitsland" – or "View of Bamberg and the Michaelsberg, Germany" – a gelatin silver print dating from sometime between 1860 and 1890 by S.P. Christmann. I’m struck by the way the gelatin silver print renders such sharp detail – almost like an etching, capturing the cityscape with a focus that is quite unique for the period. What stands out to you? Curator: Well, immediately, I consider the photographic process. A gelatin silver print meant a mass-producible image; look at this not just as art but as a commodity. What kind of labor went into creating multiples of this image, capturing a quaint view? What socio-economic conditions made the creation and consumption of this photograph possible? Consider the silver itself. Where was it mined? Who profited from its trade? The materials dictate how the scene itself might be perceived, don't you think? Editor: I suppose it does reframe my perspective on it – the photo doesn't feel so timeless when you think of it as the end product of extensive labour. Is the specific choice of silver-gelatin important to its meaning beyond its reproductive capabilities? Curator: Precisely! Its affordability increased access. People, far removed from the depicted scenery, could engage in a tangible form of tourism. The print bridges distances but also makes one reflect upon what these distances mean from a social perspective. And if we were to compare a more expensive medium for the time like platinum or albumen would it change its context? Editor: I hadn't considered how much the very materials affect not just the look, but the *meaning* of the artwork itself, and its relation to wider culture and labour practices. Thank you! Curator: Of course! Seeing art through the lens of materials reveals how deeply intertwined artistic production is with broader social and economic forces.