Ruiterstandbeeld van Frederik de Grote in Berlijn 1878

Curator: Oh, the grandeur! This photograph by Sophus Williams, taken in 1878, depicts the equestrian statue of Frederick the Great in Berlin. Look at the imposing scale of it, even captured in this image. Editor: My first impression? Stern. Austere. You feel the weight of history just looking at it, don't you? All those sharp angles, and the city backdrop... it's definitely imposing. Curator: Absolutely. This photograph, of what the Germans would call a "Denkmal," not only immortalizes the statue itself but speaks volumes about how 19th-century societies used public art to shape national narratives. It places Frederick the Great – "Alter Fritz" as he was affectionately known – firmly within the landscape of Berlin, constructing a very particular image of Prussian power and heritage. The statue served as a focal point, a site for nationalistic fervor. It stood right through WW2. Editor: So, more than just a picture of a statue, it's a record of public perception. Seeing it rendered in what feels like a sterile monochrome tones down the grandiosity, but still projects a sort of cold majesty. Almost as if history itself were bearing down. The low angle of the shot reinforces the statue’s imposing presence, really ramming home the historical importance. Curator: Exactly! Williams's choice to present the sculpture from a low vantage point enhances this feeling of awe, almost enforcing reverence. The backdrop is intentionally kept soft, with a clear focus of the bronze monarch, all to serve to tell us who really owned the story here. Editor: Looking closer, even the composition reinforces that, I think. There’s the figure above, removed from us, separated from the chaos of the city, and then at the very bottom, a crowd. Curator: Well said. It encapsulates a historical moment in Berlin and tells an entire story around identity, place, and purpose, even just through photography. Editor: Right! Each gaze held by passersby who stopped to adore this symbol adds another layer to its historical narrative. I keep wondering what they saw as they looked up.