Standbeeld van Catharina de Grote voor het Alexandrinski Theater in Sint-Petersburg c. 1880 - 1900

Editor: Here we have a photograph, an albumen print, of the statue of Catherine the Great in front of the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, dating from between 1880 and 1900. It has this wistful, faded quality, almost like a memory. What do you see in this piece, beyond just a historical record? Curator: It’s impossible to ignore the immense power that a monument like this projects. In viewing this image, consider the concept of “the gaze”. This isn’t simply a neutral record; it is a curated image, a purposeful construction. Who commissioned this photograph, and what was its intended audience? Editor: So you're saying we should think about the photographer's intention, not just the subject, right? Curator: Precisely. The image aestheticizes power, setting Catherine on a pedestal, literally and figuratively. Ask yourself: Whose narrative is amplified by this photograph, and whose is silenced? Editor: I guess it's pretty clear that this picture presents Catherine as an empress who shaped and constructed a burgeoning Russian nation. Curator: Exactly. And how might the construction of such images contribute to an overall narrative of Russian Imperialism, especially regarding its effects on diverse ethnic populations throughout the expanding nation? Editor: It's like the photograph reinforces a particular version of history and national identity. That definitely casts a new light on something that, at first glance, looks like a simple, aged photo! Curator: Indeed. It's a starting point for understanding how photography itself has been deployed as a tool for shaping perception and reinforcing social hierarchies. And we see these dynamics repeated to this day. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. It is so powerful to see how one image encapsulates layers of power and perception. Thanks!