Dresden Königl. Schloss 1880 - 1920

Editor: This is an image, probably a print from a photograph, titled *Dresden Königl. Schloss* dated between 1880 and 1920, by B. Fischer. It shows a detailed view of the Dresden Royal Palace. What strikes me is the incredible amount of detail captured in the facade, it must have taken a master craftsman to capture such fine details. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Well, first, consider the labor embedded in this image. Beyond the architecture, we see a mass produced photogravure intended for wide distribution. The very choice of photography hints at a new industrial means to circulate such iconic buildings in the 19th century. How do you think this technology affected how people interacted with and conceived of architecture at the time? Editor: I guess it democratized access; it made grand architecture available to people who couldn't travel, allowing for new ways to study and compare architectural styles. It must have affected professional architecture too. What strikes me about that idea, is who decides which photograph to sell or reproduce? Curator: Exactly. Consider how the materiality of the print influences the representation of the palace. It flattens the original three-dimensional form. It also renders the palace in monochrome, shaping the visual experience for the viewer and transforming a monument of power into a consumer good. How does it relate to architectural models available around the same time? Editor: I never considered it that way. Seeing the building like this turns it into almost a design object. Thank you, I see so many new connections between labour, material and cultural meaning here! Curator: Precisely. It encourages us to reconsider architecture not just as art, but as the product of complex labor systems. And maybe even challenges traditional boundaries of artistic skill, between photography and architecture for instance.