Straatmarkt in Nice 1903

Curator: Here we have “Straatmarkt in Nice,” a photographic print taken in 1903. The photographer is only known as Delizy, capturing a street market scene, and it is currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the mood; there's something wonderfully hazy and serene about this marketplace. The sepia tones give it a timeless feel, like a memory resurfacing. Curator: I'm drawn to how this piece intersects art with commerce and the social structure of early 20th century Nice. Notice the arrangement of the stalls; the labour required to present flowers so abundantly speaks volumes about the market's significance to this community. Editor: Absolutely. Flowers often symbolize love, beauty, and transience. Placed against the backdrop of the city's architecture, you almost get the feeling this captures fleeting beauty against an ageless backdrop of European ambition. Curator: Note the difference in attire—there's a sharp contrast between the workers and the clientele browsing. Their clothes speak to social standing and economic disparities, brought into sharp focus through labor division within the market itself. The processing and selling of flowers can be seen as representative of wider economic systems at play. Editor: Precisely. I think of the women draped in what look like extravagant flower garlands – those blossoms, representing the ephemeral nature of beauty. Are these emblems of a high-society ritual? Perhaps worn for social occasions or personal adornment? Curator: And considering photography as a rapidly developing technology at the time, capturing the ordinary everyday worker within impressionistic scenery also becomes quite relevant. We are not merely viewing the street, but experiencing it. The very act of framing and reproducing becomes the process of creating new social documentation, challenging painting’s role. Editor: Thinking about what’s absent makes you question things: what scents filled that air? Were people bartering for these beautiful blooms? The camera offers us clues to daily life but is mute on essential sensory information, fueling a fascination for how they interacted. This almost feels sacred due to what has been intentionally chosen by Delizy, inviting reflection of time. Curator: It's remarkable how analyzing the image this way gives insight into consumption, labour, and society at a critical period. Editor: Delizy has left us with visual language of society's evolving stories and aspirations. The convergence of symbolism, and social materiality encourages thoughtful contemplation about what Nice, its flower industry, and residents symbolized in 1903.