Gezicht op het Paleis van de Rijn te Straatsburg before 1894

Curator: Here we have "Gezicht op het Paleis van de Rijn te Straatsburg," or "View of the Palace of the Rhine in Strasbourg," created before 1894 by Charles Bernhoeft. It's a cityscape rendered as a gelatin-silver print, a common photographic medium of the era. Editor: It's terribly serious, isn't it? A symphony of greys! Makes me feel like I should be wearing a very sensible hat and discussing matters of state. Curator: The albumen and gelatin-silver printing processes allowed for mass production and dissemination of images, impacting how cities like Strasbourg presented themselves and were perceived. Think about the industrial labor involved in creating these images. Editor: I hadn't really considered that. But now that you mention it, this image feels incredibly *manufactured*. Almost too perfect. What was the intention of Bernhoeft in depicting this city this way, and more importantly, for whom? Was it an advertisement for progress? A souvenir for the upper crust? Or was it meant to invoke the opposite? Curator: Good questions! Certainly, it reflects the growing market for scenic views, satisfying tourist desires, and showcasing urban development under imperial German rule following the Franco-Prussian War. There's an interplay between art, commerce, and imperial ambition. Editor: I’m suddenly seeing all these layers of historical intention beneath the formal composition. It reminds me of that strange mix of longing and cold calculation I get in period dramas. So buttoned up! And a little unnerving. Curator: The realism employed captures a specific moment in the city's evolution, where the representation of power through architecture intertwines with technological advances in image production. A single, reproduced photograph speaks volumes. Editor: Absolutely. I began by seeing something frozen in time, perhaps even soulless. Now it breathes with purpose, loaded with social implication. Thanks to you, I'm off to find a good book on Strasbourg under German rule, I never would have expected that I would leave this exhibit wanting to know more about urban planning in the late 19th century.