Binnenplaats te Westminster, met op de achtergrond de Victoria Tower c. 1850 - 1880

Editor: This gelatin silver print, “Binnenplaats te Westminster, met op de achtergrond de Victoria Tower,” dates from somewhere between 1850 and 1880 and is from an anonymous artist. It presents what seems like a peaceful, everyday scene but there’s a stillness that feels almost staged, especially with the woman posed so formally. What strikes you most about it? Curator: The stillness, as you observe, is key. But I want us to consider it within the historical and social context of photography at that time. Who was being photographed? What narratives were being constructed? Editor: I guess portraiture was still primarily for the wealthy? Curator: Exactly! And here, the architectural photography—likely commissioned—becomes a subtle statement of power and permanence. Consider the backdrop: Westminster, the heart of British governance. The very act of documenting these structures was a way to solidify and perpetuate certain power structures. Editor: So even a seemingly objective architectural photograph can reflect political dynamics? Curator: Absolutely. What seems like a straightforward depiction becomes a coded message about authority, legacy, and who controls the visual narrative. We need to be critical viewers, always questioning the photographer's choices and their implications. Editor: I never thought about photography that way before. Thanks! Curator: It's a continual process of deconstruction and understanding how these seemingly innocuous images actively shaped and continue to shape societal perceptions and power dynamics.