Looking north from colonnade, world's fair, Chicago 1893

Curator: The photo before us, "Looking north from colonnade, world's fair, Chicago," was taken by Willis Dodge in 1893. This gelatin silver print depicts the grand cityscape. Editor: The crisp lines and the slightly softened focus really make the scene feel both monumental and dreamlike. The photographic materials used really seem to have enhanced the quality and feeling. What jumps out at you about this image? Curator: Consider the silver gelatin process itself. This photographic printing method rose to prominence as industrial technology became a central tenet in art. Mass production and distribution was becoming an important part of how society consumed and understood their place within it. So what does a large scale print depicting the World’s Fair and progress signify? Editor: That’s a great point! I never really considered the impact of the new accessibility of photographic printing as its own form of commentary. Almost like he's inviting widespread viewership to see progress and feel hopeful about its advancements... Curator: Precisely. This also shifts art’s role; what was once uniquely accessed by an elite is made public, reproduced, distributed, consumed. Editor: Thinking about it in terms of the socio-economic shift, it gives a whole new appreciation to the image as not only subject matter, but a historical document itself! Thank you! Curator: Indeed. It highlights the fascinating interplay between artistic intent, material capabilities, and broader societal narratives and consumption patterns. It brings new awareness.