Interieur van Stadhouderskade 56, het woonhuis van Andries Bonger in Amsterdam 1904

Editor: This gelatin silver print, "Interieur van Stadhouderskade 56, het woonhuis van Andries Bonger in Amsterdam" by W.J.G. van Meurs, dated 1904, has an incredibly warm feel to it. It's so rich in texture and detail. What catches your eye when you look at this photograph? Curator: Well, I’m immediately drawn to the materials depicted and, by extension, their means of acquisition and implications about labor and the society depicted. Look at the rug: its intricate patterns speak to particular weaving traditions. I am keen to know more about its construction and origin. Do these tell us something about Bonger’s class, or perhaps his taste for international goods made by invisible labour? And what can we make of all those framed photographs? Editor: That’s an interesting angle. I was thinking more about the arrangement and composition, how they speak to turn-of-the-century Dutch sensibilities, but now I am considering the cultural significance embedded in the production of objects. The means of the photographer also interest me. How easily available was this equipment, these chemicals and how does this gelatin silver print situate photography at the fine art / documentary crossroads? Curator: Exactly. Photography itself as a material practice, accessible to some but not others, shapes what we see and how we interpret it. This view into someone’s home confronts notions of accessibility and labor in producing images. What implications did increased availability of photographic techniques have for working artists who labored on paintings or illustrations to make a living? Editor: I never really considered photography this way, it opens new directions to think about production, not just of art, but also social inequality. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Looking closely at materiality truly unlocks many hidden stories about consumption and how society functions.