A Council of War: Lord Raglan, Omar Pacha and Pelissier, Taken the eve Before the Taking of the Mankelen, Crimea 1855

Editor: This is "A Council of War" by Roger Fenton, a photograph taken in 1855. It features three military leaders, Lord Raglan, Omar Pacha, and Pelissier, and strikes me as staged but also intimate, like a snapshot from a historical drama. What do you see in this piece that connects to its time? Curator: It's crucial to consider how Fenton's photographs, including this one, operate within the context of the Crimean War and its public perception. Before Fenton, war photography was basically non-existent. News back home was filtered. Fenton was essentially commissioned to produce images that would maintain public support for a conflict that was becoming increasingly unpopular, partly because of bad decisions by these generals. Editor: So, this wasn’t just a straightforward depiction of events? Curator: Precisely. Think about what Fenton *didn't* photograph. He avoided the gruesome realities, the massive suffering of soldiers from disease and mismanagement. His photographs, while seemingly documentary, were carefully constructed to convey a particular narrative, one of leadership and purpose. It begs the question: Who does this photograph really serve, the soldiers or the government back home? How does this manipulation influence our reading of it? Editor: I see, it’s less about the reality of war and more about shaping public opinion of the war through imagery. Does that relate to why they’re positioned around a table like that? Curator: Exactly. Group portraits of military leaders weren't new, but the seemingly casual setting gives an air of calm deliberation, which is intended. This is a calculated image, designed to reassure the public of competent leadership at a time when such reassurances were desperately needed. Editor: I hadn’t considered the public relations aspect of this photograph. It provides such a different view of historical photographs, thank you. Curator: Understanding photography of this era demands that we think about intention, omission, and public consumption and their influence.