Gezicht op rotsen in de zee in New England before 1890

Editor: This is a gelatin silver print titled “Gezicht op rotsen in de zee in New England,” made before 1890. It gives off a very somber and dramatic feel, especially with the high contrast. What are your thoughts? Curator: Well, what immediately strikes me is the choice of subject matter. Before 1890, landscape photography was increasingly used not just for documentation, but also for shaping ideas of national identity and belonging. New England's rocky coast was being constructed as a unique, even exceptional, part of the American landscape. Does this resonate with you? Editor: I hadn’t thought about that! So, this isn't just a pretty picture; it’s contributing to a specific narrative. Do you think the lack of human presence besides that distant ship enforces the idea of this landscape being almost untouched or sublime? Curator: Precisely! Consider the context of industrialization rapidly changing urban centers. Images like these provided an idealized, romantic vision of nature, untainted by modernity. Think about how the print was received and displayed – did it influence tourism or immigration to New England? Also, it is a European take on a North-American landscape, and you see an open book besides the photograph, which can give further context. Editor: It's like the photograph becomes a piece of promotional material, shaping how people view this place and maybe even reinforcing ideas about American exceptionalism. Curator: Exactly. The photograph then isn't just an image but part of a larger social and political landscape. The waves add even more to that notion! Editor: It gives a whole new perspective to what I initially thought was just a landscape image. So many social contexts that influenced both its production and its impact. Curator: And that is what makes it interesting, how an image and reality interact with politics and society!