Gezicht op het Palacio de San Telmo in Sevilla 1862 - 1876

Curator: This albumen print, dating roughly from 1862 to 1876, is entitled “Gezicht op het Palacio de San Telmo in Sevilla," or "View of the San Telmo Palace in Seville," captured by Jean Andrieu. The image showcases the palace bathed in sunlight, a stately building presiding over a classic cityscape. Editor: There’s a curious melancholy about it, don't you think? Even with the abundant light, the building appears deserted, slightly haunted. It’s grand, certainly, but feels utterly still. Curator: Indeed, these early photographs often possess a quality of timelessness mixed with an uncanny stillness. This palace, historically significant, served various purposes including a naval school. Its photographic depiction, then disseminated through prints like this one, played a role in constructing its image, and Seville's image more generally, for a broader European audience. Editor: Andrieu clearly framed it to highlight the palace's imposing size. The bare branches of those trees reach out like grasping claws, accentuating the building's solid geometry against the sky. I wonder if he deliberately waited for a leafless season to emphasize the architectural form. Curator: That’s an interesting consideration. Photography at this time involved a certain amount of staging and awareness of compositional elements. The choice of perspective and even the inclusion, or exclusion, of people was highly considered to create particular social meanings and project a controlled representation. Editor: Controlled, yes, but isn’t there always a hint of chance involved in these things? Look at the light, the accidental placement of shadows... The albumen print technique itself gives it a delicate, almost dreamy quality, doesn't it? Curator: Precisely! Andrieu’s "View" captures more than just architecture. It speaks to the power of image-making in shaping perceptions of history and place. These photographic prints are now documents offering unique access to an era gone by. Editor: It also gives a lovely chance to daydream. What it must have felt like to stand in Seville those many years ago! For me, the artistry comes not just from the architecture or Andrieu’s technique but from how a single still moment can inspire such a feeling of journey, wonder, even quiet longing.