War: Germany. Berlin. Prussian Guard Regiment: Life in a Regiment of the Prussian Guard: Preparing for Inspection. c. 1903

Editor: This is a fascinating, undated photograph by Waldemar Titzenthaler titled "War: Germany. Berlin. Prussian Guard Regiment: Life in a Regiment of the Prussian Guard: Preparing for Inspection." It looks like two scenes of soldiers cleaning and preparing for inspection, and I'm struck by the contrast between the gritty, almost mundane task and the rigid formality we associate with the Prussian Guard. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a carefully constructed image, emphasizing the material conditions and labor involved in maintaining military power. Note the regimented arrangement of the soldiers, their tools, and the weaponry. It is about the means of production, and the consumption of resources by the state. Editor: So, you're saying it is more about the system than the individual soldier? Curator: Precisely. Titzenthaler shows the Prussian military as a highly organized, materially dependent machine, subverting the glorification of war often found in art. Editor: I didn't think of it that way at first, but seeing the repetitive, almost factory-like setting, I understand the point. Curator: It really highlights the material and labor behind even the most celebrated military units, doesn't it?