Kasteel van Chillon aan het Meer van Genève, in de verte de Dents du Midi 1870 - 1895

Editor: Here we have an albumen print from between 1870 and 1895, "Kasteel van Chillon aan het Meer van Genève, in de verte de Dents du Midi," attributed to an anonymous photographer and held at the Rijksmuseum. The misty scene has a sort of romantic stillness. What stands out to you in this image? Curator: For me, the fascinating element lies in the albumen print itself. This was a laborious, meticulous process. Consider the socio-economic implications; this wasn't mass-produced media, but relatively exclusive visual document, the result of considerable investment in materials and expertise. This highlights class and the cultural capital involved in landscape photography at that time. The natural palette is interesting to observe too in connection with these production restraints. Editor: That's interesting. So you're saying the way it was made – the albumen process – says something about who could access this imagery? Curator: Precisely. It prompts us to question the consumption of these images. Was it viewed as scientific documentation, a form of tourism promotion, or simply art? The photograph exists because of particular resources, both natural and industrial, which shape what it represents. Think about how that castle and mountain becomes a commodity via this printing practice. Editor: I never thought about photography like that before, about the raw materials it takes to even create the image, beyond just pointing and shooting. Thank you. Curator: It also asks questions about the role of landscape within capitalism and photographic representation. It's definitely food for thought about how much labour is included within photography beyond what the immediate scene might at first imply.