The Observatory 1861 - 1866

Curator: Gazing at George Kendall Warren's "The Observatory," I'm struck by a sense of quietude, like peering into a secret world. Editor: My eyes are drawn to the oval frame. It’s almost like a porthole, a manufactured lens offering an exclusive view. I see the materials, the paper and emulsion, as much as the scene itself. Curator: The way the observatory buildings seem to huddle together, almost hiding behind the pines...it evokes a yearning to unlock mysteries, don't you think? Editor: I’m more interested in how these buildings themselves were constructed. The labor, the design...those domes weren't easy to build. The means of looking at the cosmos are right there, built into the earth. Curator: It makes me wonder about the stargazers within, their dreams and calculations blending with the vastness of space. Editor: I wonder about the photographic process. The development chemicals, the printing, the distribution of images like this one—science and art entwined through manufacture. Curator: It’s a beautiful reminder that the pursuit of knowledge is always framed by our human perspective. Editor: And a reminder that every perspective, even a scientific one, has its own material conditions. I find that grounding quite comforting.