A Winter's Morning. Among the Boughs. 1870 - 1908

Editor: So, this is "A Winter's Morning. Among the Boughs," a gelatin-silver print by Henry Hamilton Bennett, probably from between 1870 and 1908. It looks incredibly delicate. What strikes you most about this photograph? Curator: It's a compelling depiction of how technology and natural resources intersect. This gelatin-silver print—consider the industrial processes required to produce the gelatin emulsion, the mining for the silver. The act of photography, once a laborious process, became increasingly accessible. Editor: That's a side I hadn't considered. Curator: Think about the rise of tourism and leisure in the late 19th century. Bennett capitalized on this with his scenic photographs of Wisconsin, marketing them as "Wanderings among the Wonders and Beauties of Wisconsin Scenery." He wasn’t just capturing nature; he was producing a commodity, designed for consumption. This photograph circulated widely, shaping perceptions of the American landscape. How do you think its accessibility impacted the way the common man consumed and related to imagery? Editor: So, it wasn't just about seeing a pretty winter scene, but participating in a developing market. Almost like an early form of Instagram for privileged Victorians, except with far more specialized materials. Curator: Exactly! And that market supported Bennett’s studio and employed local labor in its production. The consumption of such imagery reinforces class boundaries because access to imagery like this requires a certain economic privilege. Furthermore, consider what the photographic process leaves out. By controlling exposure and the printing process, Bennett carefully shapes an image to reinforce popular conceptions of romanticized nature. What did the process of capturing it entail? Who was involved? The photographic subject itself is but the surface level of meaning here. Editor: I didn’t think I would be considering labor practices when looking at a pretty landscape! That reframes my entire view of the photograph. Thanks. Curator: Precisely, looking closely at the photograph reveals a whole matrix of labor and materiality and consumerism previously hidden in the composition itself.