Casa di Salustio 19th-20th century

Editor: This albumen print, "Casa di Salustio," by Giorgio Sommer, taken sometime in the 19th or early 20th century, presents a view of the ancient Roman house. I am really struck by the texture of the stones and the crumbling walls. What's your take on this photograph? Curator: From a materialist perspective, I see this image as documenting not only the ruins of the Casa di Salustio, but also the labor involved in both its original construction and its subsequent excavation and documentation. Consider the sheer amount of manpower required to quarry, transport, and assemble these stones. Editor: That's a great point. I hadn't thought about the original labor, only about the current state of ruin. Curator: And look at the figures placed within the scene. Are they mere picturesque additions, or do they represent the ongoing engagement with the site as a historical resource? How did they experience labor division during the 19th century? Editor: I think that putting those people in frame reminds the viewers that this building actually existed, that people lived and worked here. Curator: Exactly. This photograph, as a commodity itself, further complicates the narrative. It’s a product of a specific historical moment, reflecting the contemporary interest in antiquity and the development of photographic technology. What’s being consumed when someone purchases or views this image? Is it history, artistry, or perhaps a sense of connection to the past through material culture? Editor: So it is the image itself that embodies the act of remembering, the material consumption of the past as the making of contemporary visual art. Thanks! Curator: A nice question to bring forward on the relationship of our experience with an artistic material!