Gezicht op de First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia 1856

Curator: We're looking at "Gezicht op de First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia" by Frederick Langenheim, a gelatin-silver print from 1856. It’s striking how such a seemingly straightforward image can speak volumes. Editor: It does. It's quite architectural, stark even. A neoclassical building captured in early photographic technology. What do you make of it? Curator: This image is fascinating when considered in terms of its production. We see a church, yes, but also the burgeoning of industrial image-making. How does the mass production of images like this shift perceptions of architecture, of religion, even? Was this made for personal use or dissemination? Was it widely viewed and sold? Editor: I see what you mean! I hadn't thought about the photograph itself as a product, not just a representation. Is the choice of gelatin-silver significant? Curator: Absolutely. It speaks to a shift in materials, a movement away from older, more artisanal photographic processes. Gelatin-silver allowed for greater consistency and detail. Think about the labor involved – from the mining of silver to the factory production of gelatin. And, beyond the image itself, what do the photographer and his collaborators earn from selling and showing this view? How does it compete or fit into the landscape of image production in Philadelphia? Editor: That completely changes how I see it. It's not just a picture of a church, it's evidence of technological advancement and changing economies. How everyday life may be altered when everyone has the capability of producing pictures like these. It puts photography itself in a whole new cultural context. Curator: Precisely! By examining the material and production, we uncover a richer understanding of the photograph's place in society and the hands of those making the images. Editor: I’ll never look at an old photograph the same way again. Focusing on materials makes everything come alive!