Witte Huis in Washington D.C. 1864 - 1866

This stereoscopic image of the White House in Washington D.C. was produced by an anonymous artist. The black and white photograph presents the building through a screen of trees, their bare branches reaching across the frame. Stereoscopic images were popular in the nineteenth century. By creating a three-dimensional effect, these images offered viewers a new way of experiencing the world. But consider the world that's being offered. Who had access to these images and whose perspectives were being circulated? The White House, a symbol of power and democracy, was built by enslaved people. The work they performed is not visible in the image, but it haunts it, creating a tension between the ideals the building represents and the realities of its history. This photograph invites us to reflect on the stories we tell about ourselves as a nation, and the stories that remain untold.