Principal Doorway of the Carthusian Monastery, Burgos 1853

Charles Clifford made this photograph of the Principal Doorway of the Carthusian Monastery in Burgos, Spain. Photography in the mid-19th century had a complex relationship to social institutions. On one hand, photography provided detailed, accurate records of buildings and monuments, often commissioned by governments and institutions interested in documenting their cultural heritage. On the other hand, photography also democratized image-making, offering a new way of seeing the world, one that was less reliant on the artistic conventions of painting and sculpture. Clifford's image presents us with questions about the role of religious institutions and their relationship to Spanish society. What kind of power did the church have at this time? What was its relationship to the state? Was it a force for progress or conservatism? To answer these questions, a historian might consult a wide range of sources, including architectural plans, religious texts, and social histories of Spain. By examining these materials, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complex social and institutional context in which Clifford's photograph was made, and how the photograph engages with that context.