Voorgevel van de Kathedraal van Straatsburg 1877

Curator: Here we have Sophus Williams' 1877 albumen print, "Voorgevel van de Kathedraal van Straatsburg," or, "Facade of the Strasbourg Cathedral." It's a stereo card, presenting a striking photographic rendering of Gothic architecture. Editor: My immediate thought? It looks incredibly fragile. The sepia tones and almost ghostly rendition of the stone give it this ephemeral quality, like a sandcastle about to be swept away. Curator: That's interesting, considering the cathedral's inherent symbolism of strength and permanence. This albumen print reflects a growing 19th-century fascination with monuments and ruins, especially those tied to Romantic ideals of the medieval era. There’s also the way it’s presented, as a stereo card—a popular form of entertainment, bringing faraway places into Victorian homes. It democratized access to world heritage. Editor: True, but democratization isn't always neutral. The photographic gaze, then as now, could easily be weaponized, framing specific cultural narratives. Who gets to capture the image, and for what purpose? Strasbourg, caught between French and German territorial disputes during the late 19th century, became highly symbolic of national identity. Did Williams, based in Berlin, have a political agenda here, documenting newly acquired territory perhaps? Curator: That's a valid point. Albumen prints, while celebrated for their detail, can also subtly manipulate light and shadow, imbuing the scene with a particular mood. But I feel drawn to its textures! Look at how Williams captured every intricate carving and gargoyle. The print teases out details the naked eye might miss when standing at the cathedral's foot. Editor: That’s photography, isn't it? Revealing and concealing in equal measure. This image highlights the romantic fascination with the Gothic—evoking ideas of craftsmanship but simultaneously feeding into colonial frameworks of documentation and possession. The question is: are we truly "seeing" the cathedral, or are we simply consuming an idea of it, mediated through a very specific, and potentially biased, lens? Curator: It definitely asks us to consider the politics embedded within the beauty. Editor: Exactly. The tension between art, documentation, and cultural narratives... that’s what stays with me.