The Acropolis, Athens c. 1860s

Editor: This is Francis Frith's photograph, "The Acropolis, Athens." It's quite striking, isn't it? The ruins seem to blend into the landscape. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Frith's Acropolis isn't just a landscape, it's a political statement. The romantic ruins echo the decline of empires, implicitly referencing contemporary anxieties about British Imperial power. Does the desaturated tone lend itself to a particular reading? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. The sepia tone makes it look almost timeless. Curator: Exactly! And this timelessness allows for a powerful commentary on power and decay, then and now. It encourages us to critically examine our own place in history. Editor: That’s a lot to unpack from one image! I see it differently now. Curator: Photography has that power, to reveal the complex layers beneath a seemingly simple surface.