Dierentuin, portretten en beroepen 1864 - 1866

This is a page from an album, "Dierentuin, portretten en beroepen," by Woodbury & Page. Here, a matrix of smaller photographs is carefully arranged on a larger page, creating a formal structure that invites the viewer to consider the relationships between the images. Each photograph, a world unto itself, is contained within strict geometric borders. The portraits at the top establish a clear hierarchy, with the subjects posed formally. The landscape at the center presents a stark contrast with its expansive space and organic forms. Finally, the lower pictures showing workers are capturing candid moments of everyday life. The composition's structure, with its contrasting scales and varying degrees of formality, challenges the viewer to find connections. It prompts us to consider how these visual elements can destabilize conventional meanings. Through this interplay, the album becomes not just a collection of images but a dynamic field for exploring the semiotics of representation, power, and place.