Cochinael gatherers at Orotava before 1886

Editor: We're looking at "Cochinael Gatherers at Orotava," a photograph by Charles Piazzi Smyth, created before 1886, displayed within a book. The sepia tones and stereoscopic format give it such an old-world feel. The composition seems fairly simple; what really strikes me is the almost documentary style. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: It's like stepping back in time, isn’t it? I find myself drawn to the inherent narrative in the piece – the ‘what happened next’ vibe is strong here, even if posed. Imagine these women going about their work collecting cochineal... there is the implied touch and feel of the textile harvesting bags and those curious cacti that carry the precious red dye, cochineal, from which vibrant colors in textiles originate. Now, when we see this, our contemporary eyes, used to instant digital images, are not nearly as stimulated as a Victorian viewer would have been. Editor: That’s interesting – the stimulation aspect. Curator: Precisely. A photograph then was still quite a marvel and to have it replicated through the stereoscope— suddenly, there’s depth, almost 3-D! Did you notice the subtle differences between the paired images? That’s what gives it the stereoscopic effect. Editor: I hadn't noticed that specifically, I was thinking more about the social history…the colonial undertones of it all. Curator: Exactly! A picture tells a thousand stories! It's a wonderful glimpse into not only photography's past, but into social dynamics, botanical studies and natural textile dye creation. It’s a lot for one page in a book to communicate! Editor: I never would have considered how the presentation affects how people perceive this image. So interesting to learn about.