Gezicht op het Altesmuseum vanaf de Lustgarten, Berlijn 1868 - 1870

Curator: This is a stereoscopic photograph by Johann Friedrich Stiehm, taken between 1868 and 1870. It offers a view of the Altes Museum from the Lustgarten in Berlin. The format itself, stereoscopic photography, was a popular mode for experiencing immersive, almost three-dimensional views. Editor: It feels strangely melancholic. Despite the clear attempt at order and grandeur in the museum’s architecture and the neatly arranged garden, the almost monochromatic tones and bare trees evoke a sense of quiet isolation. Curator: Well, think about what's going on culturally in Europe at the time, where museums are expressions of national identity being constructed through curated narratives, often excluding or misrepresenting marginalized communities. Editor: Exactly. The Altes Museum, with its imposing neoclassical façade, becomes more than just a building; it is a statement of power and control through curated culture and visual representation, isn’t it? Curator: Yes, absolutely! These spaces defined what "culture" and "history" even meant to a very wide audience, shaping and reflecting imperial ideology. Consider the Lustgarten itself, designed as a space for public leisure, yet rigidly structured, dictating specific patterns of behavior. Editor: So the arrangement becomes indicative of societal control; there’s this attempt to manufacture a harmonious image for public consumption, reflecting an idealised version of German society under Prussian rule. And this photograph immortalizes it. The rigidity contrasts sharply with our contemporary sensibilities about shared public spaces. Curator: Exactly. While many look back nostalgically, such images reflect less innocent times, with class divisions etched within their layout. So next time when one looks at this picture of the museum they also may consider how culture can contribute towards nation-building efforts. Editor: It invites a deep dive into the layered socio-political narrative, doesn’t it? Very interesting piece. Curator: Agreed, there's so much to consider.