The Manger 1899

Curator: This gelatin silver print, called "The Manger," was made in 1899 by Gertrude Käsebier. Looking at it, what strikes you first? Editor: Its soft, ethereal quality. Almost like a dream, this quiet and contained scene. I can see, I suppose, references to religious themes and archetypes. But is that enough to overcome the sense that these traditional archetypes exclude anyone outside this very particular representation? Curator: Absolutely, there is a Madonna-like image at work. Kasebier often photographed women, sometimes as symbolic figures like this, referencing the history of female archetypes within art and myth. The title, “The Manger,” of course invokes the Nativity. Notice how the barn setting almost fades to white in places. The light nearly consumes the figures. Editor: Yes, that very intense whiteness, which flattens all context—even as it suggests themes of purity. Considering the social expectations placed upon women at the turn of the century, the piece evokes their limited access to space. You almost feel like you are inside the psychological restrictions women dealt with at that time. Curator: Yes, I think you have a point. This feels like a turning point in symbolic representation in photography, reflecting broader cultural shifts, yet very conscious of the weight of tradition. Look at how this artist deploys symbols for emotional impact. I also detect hints of Pre-Raphaelite aesthetics here. Editor: The pre-Raphaelites' radical commitment to truth outside accepted hierarchies resonates. But perhaps her attempt falls short if we don’t believe that, in 1899, the symbolic language of mothers could be a progressive tool for social or even political change. Who is the true audience here, and what statement about the social dynamics of womanhood in society can really be read from it? Curator: Well, Kasebier also challenged expectations of female photographers through her entrepreneurship, creating and running a successful photography studio. We should perhaps consider it on those terms. Editor: Which gives us a way to read new social agency into traditional iconographies. Very interesting. Curator: I will definitely consider your approach to my symbolic interpretations in the future. Editor: And I will be sure to seek symbolic resonances alongside an intersectional social theory in approaching these topics!