Gezicht op Roquebrune-Cap-Martin before 1862

Editor: This is a view of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, an albumen print by Louis-Alphonse Davanne, dating from before 1862. It is so delicate, with sepia tones emphasizing the dramatic angle of the cliffs. What draws your eye when you look at this photograph? Curator: Oh, the past whispers from it, doesn’t it? Beyond the immediate view of rock and hardy vegetation clinging to it, I see the ghost of early tourism taking hold. Can you imagine, traveling with heavy equipment to capture such a vista? It suggests a deep desire to document and, perhaps, to possess the beauty of a world rapidly changing. Does that resonate with you at all? Editor: Yes, absolutely. I am also struck by the lack of human presence. It emphasizes the grandeur and enduring nature of the landscape, making the early days of landscape photography a medium for the sublime. It's timeless, in a way. Curator: Precisely. It's easy to forget the sheer labor involved, too. But the softness, that almost dreamlike quality… albumen prints have this ethereal feel that just modern inks and papers struggle to recreate. The world was sepia-toned and full of potential, at least on camera. What would it be like to journey there through this image? Editor: A really interesting prospect; so now, not only is there documentation, there is something else, much more emotional. Thank you for that. Curator: My pleasure. Perhaps photography, more than just capturing what is, hints at the world we want to see? I can now hear the voices and whispers from then!