Waterval bij Golling an der Salzach, Duitsland 1872 - 1886

Editor: Here we have "Waterval bij Golling an der Salzach, Duitsland", a stereo photograph taken sometime between 1872 and 1886 by Anton Seif & Co. The twin images create a three-dimensional effect of this rather rugged waterfall scene. I'm struck by the texture – how the photographer captured both the flow of the water and the roughness of the rocks and trees. What strikes you about it? Curator: What's interesting here is understanding the social and material conditions of its production and consumption. Stereo photography wasn't just about aesthetic experience, but became a widely available commodity in the late 19th century. How was it made, distributed, and consumed? Editor: So, less about the artistic intention, and more about how these were made and sold? Curator: Precisely! Consider the labor involved in producing these images. From mining the silver for the photographic plates to the printing and distribution processes. Also, what kind of leisure and technological access made such photography – and its consumption – possible for the burgeoning middle class? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn’t thought about the mining or manufacturing processes involved. The framing of the waterfall suddenly feels less "picturesque" and more…industrial, in a way. Curator: Exactly. And that's precisely the point. Romanticism's sublime views were also rapidly commodified and made available to a larger audience via technological reproduction, reframing our view of landscape imagery. How does considering its production impact your understanding now? Editor: It definitely grounds the image more. Thinking about it as a manufactured object, accessible because of new technologies and consumer culture, removes some of the idealized feeling I initially had. Thanks for pointing that out.