Schöner Brunnen op de Hauptmarkt te Neurenberg 1895

Editor: Here we have Ferdinand Schmidt's "Schöner Brunnen op de Hauptmarkt te Neurenberg," captured in 1895. The photo, held at the Rijksmuseum, has such a sense of stillness to it. It's almost dreamlike, seeing this ornate fountain amidst a quiet city square. What jumps out at you when you look at it? Curator: It's funny you say stillness, because to me, it almost feels like a stage setting about to burst into life. It whispers stories. Do you see the light? How it illuminates the architecture in ways that make time and space feel like it bends just a little. What a way to make buildings look otherworldly. Editor: Otherworldly, that's interesting. Is that something particular about Schmidt’s work, or more about the subject matter? Curator: I think both. Schmidt clearly had a knack for composition, for catching light just so. The architecture in and of itself practically begs to be seen as a set for something else, and not just "Nuremberg"…something more fantastic and internal, maybe. It’s as if he wasn’t simply documenting a place but evoking a feeling, that nostalgia-tinged wanderlust we sometimes feel when gazing at old postcards. Wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Yes, I get that! The perspective definitely heightens that feeling. Almost like you are pulled right into it. Thank you so much for your explanation; I'll definitely look at other photos from that time a bit differently now. Curator: My pleasure! I learned a lot from your reaction as well! Thank you!