Interior of the cathedral, Tournay before 1866

Editor: Here we have "Interior of the cathedral, Tournay," a gelatin silver print made before 1866 by Cundall & Fleming. The sepia tones and the composition, with the receding lines of the architecture, create a rather haunting, ethereal atmosphere. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Ah, yes, an early dance with the soul through architecture. The long exposure needed for gelatin silver prints then lends a stillness, almost a silence, that mirrors the cathedral's intended effect, wouldn’t you agree? And do you feel the tension between realism and romanticism pulling the narrative? Editor: I see what you mean. The realism comes from the attempt to capture every detail of the architecture, but the overall effect is definitely more emotionally charged, bordering on fantasy. How do you think the artists navigated these approaches? Curator: By letting the light speak, wouldn't you say? It shapes forms, reveals details while hiding others. Photography then was still in its infancy and carried a unique romantic mystique. Early photography was so laborious— the artists become, almost, modern-day monks praying to light itself, don't you think? The very slowness forced reflection. Editor: That’s a beautiful way to put it. It’s interesting to think about the limitations of the medium actually contributing to the overall effect and giving it that ghostly beauty. Curator: Precisely. I’m now curious about this interplay between capturing what exists, and making something new, what about you? Perhaps that is the most authentic question of all, after all!