La Prison, à Chichen-Itza 1857 - 1889

Curator: This is Désiré Charnay's photograph, "La Prison, à Chichen-Itza," taken sometime between 1857 and 1889. Editor: The sepia tone gives it such an ethereal quality. The geometry of the architecture starkly contrasts with the surrounding wilderness, almost overgrown. Curator: Charnay was a pioneering photographer and explorer, and this image is part of a broader series documenting pre-Columbian Mesoamerican sites. He wasn’t just capturing buildings; he was revealing the story of power, colonialism, and the construction of historical narratives. Editor: It's fascinating how the structural elements lead the eye. Look at the horizontal lines, the rectangles of the structure itself against the organic chaos around it. Curator: Precisely. And the photograph embodies an inherent tension. The architecture symbolizes a complex, hierarchical society, while the encroaching foliage speaks to the forces of nature reclaiming what was built, and indeed was a kind of natural, social protest. Editor: Nature both obscures and highlights the formal qualities, the stone, the arrangement of solids and voids. There is a rhythmic, almost musical arrangement to its individual parts. Curator: We should remember this image comes from a period of intense European interest in the 'discovery' and 'documentation' of ancient civilizations. Charnay's work, like that of many of his contemporaries, participated in the creation of a colonial gaze, reinforcing European dominance in interpreting the past. How did this influence his composition? Editor: An excellent question. From my perspective, that framing underscores the architectural presence. However, I also observe how the tonal range subtly brings the stonework forward, lending a monumental quality that resonates beyond historical context. Curator: The composition certainly highlights a sense of mystery, or even foreboding given that name. It also stands as a reminder of the politics inherent in image-making. Editor: It does prompt us to consider both the immediate visual impact alongside the intricate layers of meaning embedded in its photographic artifice.