Gezicht op de Washington Elm te Cambridge before 1876

Editor: This is William James Stillman's "Gezicht op de Washington Elm te Cambridge," a photograph created before 1876, presented as an albumen print. I am immediately struck by how the image of the tree, framed in a perfect circle, sits opposite a block of text. What symbolic weight do you see in this image? Curator: The Washington Elm, long a symbol of American independence and resilience, appears here in a strangely modern form, almost like a relic presented for observation. That circular frame isolates the image, turning the living tree into an artifact, worthy of display. Editor: An artifact of independence…that’s fascinating. Is it also significant that it’s paired with text? Curator: Absolutely. The text operates almost as a historical marker, or even a eulogy, as the tree died in the 1920's. There’s a layering of time happening – the tree of the past presented as a historical object to the present, reminding us of national identity as well as mortality and ephemerality. Look at the style of font, both classical and modern: doesn't it call to mind something about memory? Editor: Yes, I can see that, as a bridge to a distant, somewhat idealized, past. So this image isn’t just about a tree. Curator: Not at all. It’s about memory, about the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, and the physical symbols we imbue with meaning. How does the romantic composition evoke the sense of historical weight and collective memory? Editor: The almost ghostly quality of the photographic process makes the image itself seem like a memory. Thanks, this makes me see the photo completely differently! Curator: It is quite striking how powerful visual images are in forming memories, isn't it?