[Stereograph, Crystal Palace, John Bell's Una and the Lion] 1854 - 1862

Editor: Here we have a stereograph titled *Una and the Lion* by the London Stereoscopic Company, taken sometime between 1854 and 1862. It’s a photograph of a sculpture of a woman riding a lion. What really strikes me is the contrast – the delicate figure against the raw power of the beast. What symbols or ideas resonate with you when you look at this? Curator: I see the allegorical weight immediately. The lion, throughout centuries of art, is rarely *just* a lion. It's courage, royalty, passion…but here it’s tempered, submissive. Una, from Spenser's *Faerie Queen*, represents truth, innocence, and faith. This image captures a popular Victorian ideal, the triumph of feminine virtue gently taming primal masculine forces. Don't you think that reading feels right, especially for this historical context? Editor: Absolutely. That tension is almost palpable. I'm curious – why a stereograph, though? It feels like an unusual choice for depicting sculpture. Curator: The stereograph, creating a 3-D effect when viewed through a special viewer, brought the sculpture to life for a wider audience. Photography democratized art, allowing people to experience monumental works like this *Una and the Lion*, even if they couldn't visit the Crystal Palace themselves. The Crystal Palace was meant to awe visitors; wouldn't the 3D nature have added to that awe? Editor: That's fascinating! It makes the piece so much more accessible. I hadn't considered the democratizing effect. Curator: Exactly. Consider the cultural memory being built: Spenser’s allegory reborn in sculpture, then disseminated through photography. Visual symbols evolve, carrying layered meanings through time. A potent cultural cocktail! Editor: I see this piece so differently now, it’s like peeling back the layers of a historical image! Curator: Indeed. These symbols constantly renew themselves.