Straatgezicht in Bolzano, met dranklokaal Batzenhäusl 1885 - 1889

Curator: Oh, there's something deeply comforting about this old print, a photograph entitled "Straatgezicht in Bolzano, met dranklokaal Batzenhäusl", dating from somewhere between 1885 and 1889. Editor: It certainly evokes a simpler time, doesn’t it? A quiet street scene, bathed in soft light...almost feels melancholic in a way. Curator: Melancholic...yes, perhaps that's part of its allure. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. What strikes me is how matter-of-factly it documents daily life in Bolzano at that time. These types of city scenes became widely accessible and collectible due to advances in printmaking and the burgeoning tourist industry. Editor: Absolutely. You can practically hear the echo of horse-drawn carts on those cobblestones. Notice the almost theatrical use of light and shadow to define forms within this urban tableau. The way the light bounces from wall to wall is very satisfying. It directs the viewers to a type of pedestrian promenade. Curator: It’s remarkable, isn’t it? These city prints served a dual purpose; offering a snapshot of a place while also creating an idealised vision of what it should represent. Editor: The presence of figures, even small ones, provides a human scale amidst the architecture. Are they workers, inhabitants, or passers-by? It raises so many questions of authenticity: Who is being depicted here? And, ultimately, what function did their depictions serve? It's a carefully staged and posed street scene. Curator: Good point! Though seemingly candid, they speak volumes about the public role of photography in shaping perceptions and reinforcing cultural narratives around an idyllic region. It is what this print makes you contemplate on a personal level, with all its intricacies and odd perspectives. I love this photograph even more for the discussion we have had, and where it is heading. Editor: Indeed. Art is always made better by the discussion that grows around it. It starts us off on fresh pathways of comprehension that can both validate and deepen our unique perceptions of our public role in understanding it all.