Gezicht op de Aqua Claudia nabij Rome 1860 - 1900

Editor: This albumen print, "Gezicht op de Aqua Claudia nabij Rome", was taken sometime between 1860 and 1900 by Anderson. It’s held at the Rijksmuseum. I am immediately struck by the contrast – the ruined aqueduct against the peaceful scene of grazing cattle. What stands out to you about this image? Curator: What grabs me here is thinking about the labour – the sheer effort embedded in this aqueduct's construction in ancient Rome. We see it now, weathered and incomplete, almost reclaimed by nature, but the initial act of quarrying, transporting, and assembling those stones... How many hands, how many years? Editor: That's a great point. It’s easy to romanticize ruins, but we rarely think about the manpower that went into building them. Curator: Exactly! And then, fast forward to the 19th century. Consider the labour involved in creating this photograph. Preparing the albumen print, transporting the equipment... It becomes a document not just of the aqueduct but of its own making. The materiality of the image itself adds another layer to our understanding. Think about the social classes depicted here: ancient labourers, photographic studio owners, versus grazing cattle! How the economic realities across eras influenced production and our consumption habits regarding photographic images. Editor: So, by thinking about the material and the labor behind both the aqueduct and the photograph, we understand their historical contexts differently. That’s a cool approach. Curator: It really underscores the ongoing story of human endeavor and how even a ruin continues to be shaped by the hands and technologies of different eras. Editor: I'll definitely remember that next time I'm looking at older art. Thanks!