Untitled (Panshanger) 1858

Editor: This photograph, "Untitled (Panshanger)" from 1858, shows a stately English home. It's an albumen print. The tones are beautiful, almost sepia-like. It feels both grand and a little bit desolate. What strikes you when you look at this piece? Curator: Well, immediately, I think about the industrialization of photography at this time. The albumen process, itself, speaks volumes. Think about the labor involved—preparing the glass plate, coating it with albumen derived from egg whites, sensitizing it, exposing it… Editor: So it's less about the mansion itself and more about...the physical process? Curator: Exactly! This image isn’t just about aristocratic England. It's about the rapidly evolving technological landscape and the changing means of production. This print shows a landscape, yes, but it is itself a product, almost a commodity. Editor: So, the beauty isn't just aesthetic, but also in understanding the labour that created it. Curator: Precisely. The availability and consumption of photographs like this transformed visual culture. Think about who was buying and displaying these images. It’s a new form of consumption linked directly to technological advancements. The print is beautiful because it represents social and technological progress. And we cannot underestimate that by focusing on materiality we include craftsmanship into what art might represent. Editor: That gives me a whole new appreciation for this photograph. It’s not just a pretty picture; it’s a record of a changing world. Curator: Exactly, by considering materials, means and access, it opens up the discussion.