[Temple of Concord, Rome] 1850s

Editor: This gelatin silver print, "[Temple of Concord, Rome]", was captured by Calvert Richard Jones sometime in the 1850s. The towering columns of the ancient ruin against the cityscape create a striking juxtaposition. What kind of statement do you think Jones was trying to make here? Curator: This photograph allows us to consider the legacy of power structures. Jones, working within the early days of photography, captures not just an image of Roman grandeur, but also a moment in the construction of Western identity. Look at how the ruined temple is framed. How does the photograph engage with the complex historical, cultural, and political contexts of 19th-century Europe? Editor: I see what you mean. It's easy to just see the beautiful ruin, but thinking about how Jones chose to present it… I guess it's about power? Rome, then and now. Curator: Precisely. The 'Temple of Concord' speaks of a desire for harmony, for unified rule, but seen through the lens of colonial expansion and the often violent project of nation-building, the photograph invites a critical interrogation of those ideals. Do you see a connection between this pursuit and the social dynamics of today? Editor: It’s like he's hinting at the fallibility of empires, a warning maybe? And definitely relevant today, given how power is still unevenly distributed across the globe. I hadn't considered the photograph as a political statement before. Curator: Art doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Consider the way we preserve certain narratives while erasing others. It changes how we view art, doesn’t it? Editor: Definitely. It makes me want to look more deeply into the context behind every artwork, not just at its surface beauty.