Gezicht op Brighton Beach before 1889

Curator: This gelatin-silver print is called "Gezicht op Brighton Beach," by E.W. Newcomb, dated before 1889. What strikes you about it? Editor: It evokes a kind of quiet, faded grandeur. The muted tones give it a somber air, despite all the activity on the beach. You can almost feel the stiff Victorian formality. Curator: Precisely! The image holds several symbols of British seaside culture. The pier, of course, a monument of leisure and entertainment. Look at how it juts out defiantly into the sea. Editor: And the people are silhouetted like sentinels across the sand. It’s fascinating to think about leisure being accessible along class lines, who got to relax on Brighton Beach. This photo asks that question of privilege, who are all those shadows versus who got to holiday at the shore. Curator: Consider then, the role of seaside resorts in Victorian society—not only places of leisure, but also spaces of self-discovery. The sea itself has deep symbolism. Birth, death, eternity. Its constant flux mirrors our emotional states. The bathing machines are symbols of the gender roles present on the shore in the era, where privacy and propriety played significant parts. Editor: It’s incredible to see how something seemingly innocuous as a day at the beach is wrapped up in all sorts of power dynamics. Curator: That’s it precisely! It reminds me how visual symbols are both individual and collective expressions. These echoes speak to a universal human experience over time, from enjoyment of water to the privilege of accessing leisure. Editor: It makes you wonder, who were these individuals and families who made Brighton Beach a destination in the late 19th Century? It’s hard to forget about the inequalities of the time. The beauty in photography like this rests as much in what’s documented as in what’s left unsaid. Curator: Newcomb’s lens captured more than just a beach scene; he unwittingly caught a glimpse into our shared, complicated humanity. Editor: It’s definitely a photograph I will think more deeply about in light of these issues, next time I see an image like it.