Gezicht op de westelijke façade van de Kathedraal van Exeter c. 1850 - 1880

Editor: This is "Gezicht op de westelijke façade van de Kathedraal van Exeter," by Francis Bedford, dating from around 1850 to 1880. It’s a photographic print, capturing a section of the cathedral's exterior. The image, presented in stereoscopic format, is just incredibly dense and intricate. It makes you wonder about the sheer volume of labour needed for that detailed a façade. What do you make of all these figures? Curator: The layers of imagery, the sheer number of figures adorning that façade… it speaks to a deep cultural need to communicate complex ideas through visual symbols. Consider that cathedrals like Exeter served as a "bible in stone," particularly for a largely illiterate population. What stories do you think these figures were intended to tell? Editor: Religious narratives, biblical figures, probably some local saints? Curator: Exactly. And each figure, carefully posed and placed, becomes a marker of cultural memory. We see repeated archetypes. This emphasis echoes through time, doesn’t it? Do you recognize any particular poses or motifs that remind you of other imagery you’ve studied? Editor: Now that you mention it, there's a sense of Roman sculpture there, something... classical, despite it being Gothic. I guess the Renaissance really stuck. Curator: Precisely! Cultural memory is persistent, layered. And Bedford’s choice to capture it with photography elevates it once again for modern viewing. So what is its impact for you today, looking at a photo from so long ago depicting such cultural pride? Editor: Seeing this level of dedication... I get a powerful sense of devotion, and the incredible impact that a shared set of beliefs can have. It's quite inspiring. Curator: It highlights that the impulse to create, to share stories and beliefs visually, remains constant through vastly different eras and methods.