Fontaine de la Croix de Pierre, Rouen 1852 - 1854

Editor: Here we have Edmond Bacot’s "Fontaine de la Croix de Pierre, Rouen," a photograph dating from around 1852 to 1854. It's quite a striking city scene; the architecture feels so present. What stories do you think a piece like this holds? Curator: It holds volumes! Beyond its aesthetic charm, consider what it omits. We see a streetscape, seemingly untouched, but whose lives are invisibilized? Whose labor built this Rouen, and whose experiences are absent from this idealized portrayal? Think about class structures; photography, in its early days, often catered to a specific demographic. Editor: That's a great point! It feels… curated. Did Romanticism play a role in how the image was framed? Curator: Precisely. Romanticism often idealized the past, presenting a selective vision of history. Bacot likely chose this view to highlight the historical aspects of Rouen, maybe obscuring elements that conflicted with a particular narrative of French identity. How does the angle of the shot influence this message? Editor: Perhaps by emphasizing the height and grandeur of the buildings, which evoke a sense of history and permanence, thus lending authority to the historical narrative? But is it possible it's simply…documentary? Curator: Documentary photography always has a perspective; neutrality is a myth. Every choice - the time of day, the framing, what’s included and excluded - conveys a message, intentionally or not. How might this photograph, with its specific perspective, impact viewers’ understanding of urban space and historical continuity? Who would be comfortable in such a space and who wouldn't? Editor: I never considered how deeply ingrained perspective could be. This has really opened my eyes to how much critical thinking is needed when looking at even what seems to be just a ‘simple’ photograph. Curator: Exactly! Understanding context unlocks new layers of meaning and forces us to confront whose stories are told and whose are silenced.