Gezicht op de Wittenberg te Amsterdam c. 1880 - 1915

Curator: Let’s talk about “Gezicht op de Wittenberg te Amsterdam” – a gelatin-silver print from around 1880 to 1915, attributed to Gebr. van R. Editor: It has a somber feel to it. The monochromatic palette and still water lend the image a sense of quiet contemplation, as though the photographer was making an honest record of everyday life and civic duty. Curator: Right. The use of gelatin-silver printing was becoming increasingly common, influencing the level of detail we see here. This method made mass reproduction easier and more economical. Notice the brickwork and reflection in the water, but more important than this fine detail are the changes happening in society due to the impact of photography in disseminating the Realist art movement to ever wider audiences. Editor: It's clearly a cityscape, though a very ordered one. The building, dominating the composition, exudes a sort of bureaucratic calm, it really seems to symbolize that transition in civic duty, to something altogether more bureaucratic and administrative. The choice of such a functional architectural style must reflect on its contemporary culture, too. Curator: Absolutely. I am sure the intent here was to capture and represent Amsterdam through what seems to be a functional, straightforward architectural style, emphasizing structure over anything aesthetically fanciful, something which came about with increased urbanism throughout Europe. And although that’s likely the reason for the photographic documentation and composition style, one cannot underestimate the gelatin-silver print, as well as its effects on material culture in Amsterdam around this time. Editor: I find it interesting how different movements, like Realism, utilize various methods for their media depending on time and technological capability. I will definitely be considering how the photographic print in itself is key to that experience from now on. Curator: It gives us something new to reflect upon.