Fotoreproductie van een portret van Wilhelm I op een leeftijd van 77 jaar before 1897

Curator: Here we see an albumen print dating from before 1897, titled "Fotoreproductie van een portret van Wilhelm I op een leeftijd van 77 jaar" or, "Photographic reproduction of a portrait of Wilhelm I at the age of 77." Editor: My initial impression is one of stiffness. The framing and monochromatic tones amplify this sense of formality and imposing authority. Curator: Absolutely. Let's consider the photographic process here, this being an albumen print. This choice offers a particularly sharp image and wide tonal range that captures intricate details of Wilhelm's regalia and features. We might read this materiality as a conscious decision to amplify his status, reflecting the technical capabilities of the time. Editor: I agree, it’s a study in calculated display, but think about the labor involved. The albumen process demanded skilled practitioners and precise, regimented work. We see a photograph representing immense power, yet this relies on the meticulous labor hidden behind the scenes. It reflects the very unequal distribution of effort, the visible labor of royal display set against the invisible labour of the craftsman producing the photograph. Curator: An insightful point. Looking more closely at Wilhelm's posture and composition we see a conscious effort for a static balance and poise. Note, for instance, how his garments, along with decorations and medals contribute to this presentation of absolute authority, drawing a distinction between his singular and embodied power and our role as a viewer, an admirer, almost subservient. Editor: And I see those decorations, the military attire, as communicating status and position, but let us consider what's omitted or obscured. We do not know where or how the materials, such as the dyes and chemicals needed to develop the print, were sourced. Curator: So we consider the ethics of making visible an artwork of great significance? Editor: Precisely. This image becomes more complex when we ask questions regarding manufacture and labour and begin to appreciate an entirely new set of meanings behind it. Curator: It shifts the focus from subject to material and back to social considerations around status and historical narrative, and how these were built or manufactured through display of craft. Editor: Indeed. A truly multi-layered object.