Altaar in de San Marco in Venetië before 1885

Curator: My first impression is one of quiet dignity, almost a hushed reverence. The textures, from the smooth columns to what looks like intricately patterned marble, all caught in this soft light...it feels like stepping back centuries. Editor: Exactly! This is "Altar in the San Marco in Venice" a gelatin silver print, part of Carl Heinrich Jacobi's photographic exploration dating back to the 19th century. Its power lies in capturing this intersection of sacred space and the burgeoning field of architectural photography. Curator: I'm particularly drawn to how Jacobi uses light. It's not dramatic, but subtle, revealing the almost worn surfaces. Like the geometry has softened with age, creating a wonderful sense of timelessness. Makes me want to reach out and touch the cool stone. Editor: Absolutely, it brings to mind questions around the church's colonial past and cultural appropriation. The use of ancient Byzantine designs repurposed here; how do we reconcile such beauty with such a legacy of power and inequality? Curator: That's a vital question, one that shifts the photograph beyond a simple representation. And maybe the subdued tone mirrors that unease—a sort of acknowledging the complexities within something we might automatically label ‘beautiful.' Editor: Right. Also, look closely at the way he centers the altar –it makes you consider, perhaps unconsciously, who has access to sacred spaces and knowledge and who doesn't? And, even beyond the architecture, who was even welcome within those walls, photographed or not? Curator: It brings a completely new meaning to the term ‘snapshot.’ We glimpse beauty and ponder what is kept hidden. The visual silence is a reflective one. Editor: Precisely, because the echoes within these photographs whisper of much more than stone and light. It asks us to explore uncomfortable questions of historical privilege. Curator: So it seems like what appears to be a straightforward picture really reveals layers that push against the surface and into far richer, and sometimes difficult conversations about legacy. Editor: And ultimately encourages us to use our understanding to fight against ongoing power imbalances, and seek inclusivity in sacred spaces today.