Kansel door Giovanni Pisano in het Museo civico te Pisa, Italië 1860 - 1881

Editor: This is a photograph titled "Kansel door Giovanni Pisano in het Museo civico te Pisa, Italië" taken by Giacomo Brogi between 1860 and 1881. It depicts a pulpit, and it looks incredibly detailed. What can you tell me about this image? Curator: This gelatin silver print offers us more than just an image of a pulpit. I'm interested in the labor and processes involved in producing this photograph. Consider the material reality: the silver, the gelatin, the darkroom practices. It reveals a specific social and technological moment in photography. Editor: So you're saying it's more than just a picture of a sculpture? Curator: Precisely! The materiality of the print itself is a testament to the industrial processes of the time. And the decision to photograph this particular pulpit - think about the implied market for these images, the growth of museums, and a burgeoning interest in Italian sculpture amongst Brogi's clientele. What purpose did these prints serve? Editor: I guess people probably bought them as souvenirs. Curator: Exactly. And with that purchase, how did it tie back into systems of tourism and commerce. The photograph is thus connected to global economic forces and circuits of consumption, which in my opinion are very relevant to this piece. Editor: That's a totally different perspective than I had. It gives the image much more depth to understand all of this. Curator: Agreed. Reflecting on the industrial process, it certainly takes the photograph beyond merely depicting an artifact. Considering both subject and substance opens up entirely new perspectives!