Interieur Witsen c. 1860 - 1915

Editor: Here we have "Interieur Witsen," a gelatin-silver print dating from around 1860 to 1915, created by Willem Witsen, currently held in the Rijksmuseum collection. What strikes me most is how domestic objects—plates, rugs, chairs— become the subject of fine art. What do you see in this photograph? Curator: This piece provides us a compelling study of material culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Notice the arrangement: mass-produced ceramics displayed almost as trophies, reflecting a growing middle-class fascination with commodity and display. The gelatin-silver printing process itself signifies industrial advancement, making images more accessible. Editor: So you are less interested in the ‘artistic vision’ and more in how photography here represents the material conditions of the time? Curator: Precisely. Consider the labor involved in creating all of this, from mining the silver for the print to the production of these decorative objects in potentially exploitative factory conditions. It's a record of a very specific moment in consumption, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Definitely. It changes how I see it. These aren't just quaint objects in a room. You're suggesting the photo makes the viewer complicit in this culture of materialism. Curator: It compels us to think about what materials go into even ‘art photography’, the processes, and labor tied up with each aesthetic decision. And in that sense challenges our idea of art existing divorced from the day to day economy and consumption. Editor: That's a lot to consider in what looks like a simple photograph! Thank you!