Kade langs de Arno te Pisa c. 1850 - 1870

Curator: This photograph, titled "Kade langs de Arno te Pisa," believed to have been created between 1850 and 1870 by Giovanni Brampton Philpot, presents us with a serene cityscape. Editor: Ah, looking at this faded albumen print, I'm instantly transported. There's such stillness, almost melancholic, despite the bustling buildings lining the riverbank. The muted tones make it feel like a memory fading at the edges, don’t you think? Curator: Absolutely. Considering its creation date, the print offers a perspective steeped in both the orientalist gaze of the period, given the fascination with capturing Italian cities. It is crucial to contextualize the photographic medium in how it both revealed and created notions about Italy, travel, and representation. Editor: Makes me wonder about the people bustling along that quay. Their stories, their dreams. You can almost smell the river air and hear snippets of conversations. It’s a frozen moment in time, yearning to be unlocked. But also makes you think about whose version of that time it represents, you know? Curator: Precisely. The photographic choices – the vantage point, the composition itself – position the viewer within a power dynamic, as it is essential to question how historical narratives are shaped and whose stories get told. It seems critical to analyse how identity, gender, race and power operated through image-making practices. Editor: You’re right. But stepping away from the analysis for a sec, I still love the details like the little architectural nuances that are highlighted, the gentle reflections on the water. It's just a beautiful image. It feels so immediate, despite its age and historical burden. Curator: It does carry an immediate quality and, understanding its place in photographic history allows us to deconstruct its cultural and socio-political dimensions. Thanks for bringing your insights. Editor: My pleasure! This was fun—makes you wonder what our version of Pisa quayside snapshots would say about us, a hundred and fifty years from now!