Arcade in Quadrangle 1858

Editor: So, this is Linnaeus Tripe's "Arcade in Quadrangle" from 1858, a photograph printed on paper. There’s something very imposing about the architecture he’s captured, yet the light and shadows create a strange, dreamlike quality. What pulls you in when you look at this image? Curator: Oh, the ghosts are strong in this one, aren’t they? What’s initially striking is the sense of depth, the way he’s coaxed this infinite recession from what is essentially a flat plane. And the detail! Notice the variations in texture and tone on the columns - time's touch is as much a subject as the structure itself. I wonder what stories these stones could tell if they could whisper? Do you get a feeling for where this is, this quadrangle? Editor: It feels like maybe India or somewhere with similar architecture? Almost Roman, but not quite. I suppose that blend makes the old arcade look almost uncanny and mysterious. What was Tripe trying to achieve with his work, anyway? Curator: Exactly. This actually *is* India – he was documenting architecture there in the mid-19th century. You know, for someone named Tripe, his photos are anything but. (Laughs) His intent was partly documentary. But artists never really make "just" documentation, right? The choice to capture the aging facade, that dance of light, reveals an artistic sensibility too. The shadows make one reflect if the place is as ancient as one might suspect at first sight... what is revealed by the effects of age and time and what is cleverly designed by men and women? It's quite haunting, in its way. Editor: Definitely haunting. I initially focused on the architecture, but you've shown me how the photograph’s not just about the space, but also about time and the subtle details within the old architecture. Curator: Precisely. It makes you question everything about permanence and really contemplate history! Food for thought in every stone and shadow, don’t you think?