Sculpture de griffon sur un chantier à Marseille (Sculpture of a Griffin on a construction site in Marseille) c. 1866 - 1868

Curator: This gelatin silver print, taken between 1866 and 1868, captures a somewhat peculiar scene: a griffin sculpture presiding over what seems to be a construction site in Marseille. It’s by Adolphe Terris. Editor: What strikes me is this overall stillness, despite the implied construction. Everything's awash in this blue hue; the griffin seems to exude a strange serenity. It's like witnessing a mythological guardian amidst urban development. Curator: Yes, and what about the symbolism? Griffins, of course, are guardians. Consider Marseille's history as a port city, a gateway. Perhaps Terris is alluding to the protection of culture during a time of change. Editor: Absolutely. We can consider the very concept of ‘urban renewal’ which often favors particular social classes over others, destroying cultural heritage along the way. Who, then, does this griffin truly guard? Curator: Precisely. And note how Terris positions the sculpture, seemingly draped with some cloth, as if almost human. It invites contemplation, suggesting fragility within that grand architectural project unfolding behind it. The way the light falls seems to emphasize its noble features, highlighting an implicit warning, almost. Editor: A warning, or even resistance, to the homogenizing forces of modernization? After all, griffins aren't just guardians, they're hybrid beings. It begs us to ask which identities, which histories, are being valued...and which are being paved over. Curator: And this question of value reminds me: terris captured it as if it were of utmost value, worthy of his attention. Its value at this time can now open a space for imagining the many dimensions of the changes witnessed here. Editor: The layers upon layers of symbolic resonance. It reminds me how even seemingly straightforward depictions of cityscapes contain rich narratives about power, identity, and societal transformation, urging us to question what’s truly being built. Curator: It’s as though the griffin whispers: progress at what cost? Editor: Indeed. Perhaps this blue melancholy hints at something profoundly irreplaceable, something being lost as the city reshapes itself.