Amfitheater van Verona c. 1880 - 1895

Curator: What a powerful image! This is “Amfitheater van Verona,” a photograph dating from around 1880 to 1895, attributed to Fratelli Alinari. The photograph, an albumen print, offers a sweeping view of the Roman amphitheater. It is part of the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: It certainly is impressive. There's a certain starkness to it, the monochrome palette adding to a feeling of austere grandeur. I wonder about the light, so evenly spread... Curator: As a historian, the immediate context I think of is the development of photography in the late 19th century. Think of the Grand Tour, popular among European elites. This kind of image provided a way to "collect" experiences of places like Verona and to make those historical places accessible. Editor: Interesting. My mind immediately jumps to the materials, the actual process of creation here. Albumen prints are fascinating; the egg white giving it this unique tone. I am curious about the photographers who printed this and what labor and manufacturing of the period played into mass production of prints for this era? Curator: And this mass production in turn fuelled the developing tourist industry. People not only consumed the image, but the place as well, of which these photos played an important role of distribution, in museums, galleries, etc. How many people visited Verona as a result? And who *didn't* have access? Those social stratifications are key to interpreting a photograph like this. Editor: Absolutely! We also need to ask, how does a classical structure become a subject of new industries and technology. To what extent is it about documentation and how much does photography also participate and change people’s perspectives? These questions are crucial when looking at it today. Curator: Precisely. Seeing a photograph is a kind of historical consumption in and of itself, even now. Editor: It's given me a new appreciation for the convergence of classical history and emerging technologies present in this image. Curator: Indeed, a reminder of the complex ways we engage with both history and visual representation.