Universiteitsbibliotheek of Biblioteca Joanina van Coimbra 1868 - 1890

Editor: This is a photograph, or rather a stereograph, of the Joanina Library at the University of Coimbra. It’s dated between 1868 and 1890, so it gives off a sepia-toned, historical vibe. It's interesting to consider how libraries are represented. How do you interpret this particular depiction? Curator: What strikes me is the architecture itself. It speaks volumes about power and knowledge during the Enlightenment. Think about who had access to this space in that period. Universities like Coimbra were, for centuries, almost exclusively the domain of wealthy, white men. Editor: That makes me consider who gets to produce and preserve knowledge. Curator: Precisely. The photograph, itself, reproduced by L. L. Paris, serves to both document and participate in a selective portrayal of history. Who is doing the documenting and for whom? Editor: So the very act of documenting this space and circulating the image further solidifies those power structures? Curator: Absolutely. The ornamentation, the sheer grandeur, isn't just about aesthetics. It communicates authority and reinforces existing social hierarchies, something easily overlooked if we just focus on the visual appeal. What would this image mean to someone systematically excluded from this space? Editor: It makes you wonder what stories and perspectives are left out of this meticulously constructed image. Thinking about photography in this way gives me a completely different appreciation for the work. Curator: It moves us beyond a surface level reading. Let’s consider whose voices weren’t heard in these halls, then and now.