Tugendbrunnen in Neurenberg 1895

Editor: We’re looking at "Tugendbrunnen in Neurenberg," a photograph from 1895 by Ferdinand Schmidt, currently housed at the Rijksmuseum. It's a cityscape, showing the 'Virtues Fountain.' It strikes me as quite formal and imposing; what exactly am I seeing here? Curator: It's more than just an image of a fountain; it's a dialogue between sculpture, architecture, and urban life, captured through the relatively new medium of photography at that time. Schmidt plays with depth, light, and shadow, doesn't he? He gives you a feeling that the photograph has a 3-d form like a sculpture. Almost like Schmidt is sculpting with light, eh? What stands out to you, Emma, compositionally? Editor: Well, Lady Justice, with her scales, is central, obviously, but my eye is drawn to the contrast between the smooth, classical figures and the rougher textures of the surrounding buildings. Curator: Exactly! It’s about contrasting ideals with everyday life. Do you feel the Neo-Classical vibe? The way that it’s designed and placed reminds you of past ideas? This placement suggests more than just decoration but how Neurenberg society saw law at this time. This contrast emphasizes how cities in the period aimed to link classic thought into the urban environment. Editor: It does. I see the Neo-classicism. I hadn't quite picked up on the link between sculpture and place. Thinking of architecture as sculpture too. Thanks. Curator: That interdisciplinary link is quite beautiful and the soul of city design at the time!