Lord Granville c. 1875 - 1880

Editor: We’re looking at “Lord Granville,” an albumen print photograph dating around 1875 to 1880. It shows a dignified older gentleman framed in an oval. It’s quite formal. What stories can we find hidden within this portrait? Curator: The very act of portraiture carries a potent symbolic weight. Think of how individuals in earlier centuries were memorialized in painted portraits, symbols of status, power and legacy. How does photography alter this cultural language? Editor: I suppose it makes portraiture more accessible, less idealised. Is that the beginning of the end of that visual language of power? Curator: It evolves, rather than disappears. Consider the clothing. While seemingly ‘realistic,’ a closer look reveals subtle signifiers. His bow tie and dark suit were fashionable but also conveyed a sense of established respectability. We could ask how his attire aims to project a particular persona to his intended audience. Is it an overt or subdued form of control? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It’s interesting how even the most 'realistic' image is still a constructed symbol, right? The way he’s presented. Curator: Precisely. Also notice the facing page is left blank, except for a subtle stain in the shape of a circle, it allows for some contemplation about his memory. Are we meant to fill this void in our own mind, or does it indicate his existence fades without our constant attention? The placement, size and materials create their own visual language, too. What's the feeling that evokes for you? Editor: A little melancholy, maybe, that even powerful figures fade. I’ll definitely think differently about photographic portraits now. Curator: Excellent. Hopefully you recognize portraiture is another language by which cultures make meaning.