Panorama van de stad en het meer van Lugano c. 1890 - 1920

Editor: Here we have “Panorama van de stad en het meer van Lugano” by Schröder & Co, likely created between 1890 and 1920. It’s a long, landscape print, using albumen-print. I’m struck by how it’s divided into sections, creating a segmented, almost surreal panoramic view. What are your initial thoughts when you look at the formal aspects of this piece? Curator: Formally, I'm interested in how the tripartite division dictates our reading of the landscape. Each panel, while seamlessly joined, presents a subtly different perspective, thereby disrupting the traditional panoramic sweep. Note how the tonality shifts slightly from left to right. Do you perceive this as a conscious effort to underscore the artificiality of the construct, or simply a consequence of the photographic process of that era? Editor: That’s interesting! It could definitely be either. The contrast and clarity do shift. Now that you mention the triptych construction and slight variations in tonality, I find it harder to ignore those aspects! But does this detract or contribute to the work as a whole? Curator: Precisely! It complicates our understanding. While it might appear fragmented, this very fragmentation underscores the limitations inherent in representing three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface. Furthermore, consider the interplay between the detailed foreground and the receding planes. Does it suggest an engagement with modernist concepts of space and representation, even within a seemingly conventional landscape format? Editor: I can see that. It’s less a direct transcription of the landscape and more an active interpretation. Thank you for highlighting those construction decisions – it really transforms my understanding of the piece. Curator: Indeed. It reveals how the supposed objectivity of photography can be skillfully manipulated to convey subjective and aesthetic meanings.