[Reine d'Etrurie] 1863 - 1867

Editor: This is Pierre-Louis Pierson's photograph, "[Reine d'Etrurie]," created sometime between 1863 and 1867, an albumen print currently housed at the Met. The photograph, encased within an ornate frame, presents a posed woman. What historical context do you perceive within its visual language? Curator: Immediately, I see a fascinating dance between reality and representation. The woman, adorned as an Etruscan queen, embodies a romantic ideal of a past civilization, but it is mediated by the relatively new technology of photography. Editor: So, the image is layering different periods and different kinds of symbols on top of one another? Curator: Exactly. What do you think the choice to depict the subject as an Etruscan queen conveys, rather than say, a contemporary royal figure? Editor: Well, the Etruscans evoke a sense of ancient mystery. Was this perhaps meant to imbue her with timeless qualities, and speak to ideals about women, beauty, and power, rather than specific claims? Curator: Precisely. Photography in this era was about crafting narratives as much as capturing likeness. The carefully chosen garb, the regal pose, and even the floral wreath – all these visual cues contribute to a deliberate construction of identity. Editor: I didn't really notice all the clues! What do you make of the toned paper? Does the color add to the feeling that the photo shows a world long ago? Curator: Indeed. Toned paper enhances the photograph's atmospheric quality. In my mind, the choice to create a toned image speaks to a romanticizing impulse that ties the aesthetic of the photograph with historical painting genres. Editor: So it creates another layer, another message embedded in the material of the photograph itself? Fascinating! I’ll never look at photography the same way again! Curator: These images hold many stories if we look close enough. The interplay of subject, symbol, and medium can reveal much about the cultural imagination of the era.