Le chemin de Rome s'il vous plait 1860

Curator: Before us is Édouard Delessert's "Le chemin de Rome s'il vous plait", dating back to 1860. It appears to be an open book, displaying a portrait photograph adjacent to letterpress text. My first thought is its curious melancholy, like an echo from a bygone era. Editor: Indeed. The albumen print used for the portrait gives it a sepia tone, a direct aesthetic link to photographic conventions of the 19th century. The portrait adheres to strict compositional rules—note the man's pose in profile and controlled gaze. Curator: Right, we can decode its semiotics by looking closely at the formal design. The open book form is interesting here, right? Editor: Precisely. And in conjunction with an individual, male portrait? Considering the political and social climate in 1860 Europe, "the road to Rome" can function as a metaphor. It invites speculation regarding the figure's social class and gender identity, as only specific demographics historically experienced mobility and could seek to access such places. Curator: Fascinating. The use of photography combined with traditional letterpress also speaks to an era undergoing rapid change. The new medium, alongside the printing press, makes visual language increasingly democratic. Do you believe Delessert intentionally sought to play with traditional class or gender assumptions here? Editor: It is quite possible! Perhaps the sitter was queer? A progressive? The slight asymmetry and naturalistic texture in the albumen portrait introduce a feeling of authentic expression and break slightly with the rigidity expected. Curator: It seems we find ourselves at opposite ends of Delessert's “path.” Editor: Then let's take his “road to Rome” as a reminder to question narratives and actively participate in understanding how visual representation has contributed, and continues to contribute, to forming collective consciousness.