Arts

'Exquisite Reality' exhibition explores the political power of early photography

"Exquisite Reality" features historical photos from the latter half of the 19th century and explores how photographers' artistic choices, such as framing or lighting, could affect how viewers perceived the subject. Courtesy Cantor Arts Center

As an art form, photography isn't that old, at least compared to painting or sculpting, but it's changed enormously over its relatively brief history, not only due to technological advances but also in how we perceive its role, and that of the photographer.

At its inception in the 1830s and 40s, photography was, due to its scientific origins, considered "apolitical," according to the website for "Exquisite Reality: Photography and the Invention of Nationhood, 1851–1900" a new online exhibit at Stanford University's Cantor Arts Center. The exhibit explores how early photography was in fact used extensively as a political tool, looking at how photographers made artistic decisions that reveal their own interpretations of reality.

This exhibition is organized by Danny Smith, a Cantor staff member and Curatorial Fellow who is a PhD candidate in Stanford's Department of Art & Art History.

The exhibit features historical photographs from the latter half of the 19th century. The photos are organized into four categories: History, Modernity, Mystery and Travel.

Each photo is presented with a backstory, and in some cases, shown alongside another photo or painting of a similar subject​, ​highlighting​ ​how differences in​ framing, lighting and other choices made by each photographer or artist​​ can​ affect how the viewer perceives the subject.

Help sustain the local news you depend on.

Your contribution matters. Become a member today.

Join

Viewers can zoom in to get a better look at the details in each photograph.

To offer even more context, many photos in the exhibit are also accompanied by a link to additional photos on a related subject. For instance, a photo of a gothic cathedral in England has a link to a collection of photos that shows how other 19th-century photographers captured gothic architecture.

For more information, visit museum.stanford.edu.

Stay informed

Get daily headlines sent straight to your inbox in our Express newsletter.

Stay informed

Get daily headlines sent straight to your inbox in our Express newsletter.

Heather Zimmerman
Heather Zimmerman has been with Embarcadero Media since 2019. She writes and edits arts stories, compiles the Weekend Express newsletter, curates the community calendar, helps edit stories for the Voice and The Almanac and assists with assembling the Express newsletters for those publications. Read more >>

Follow Palo Alto Online and the Palo Alto Weekly on Twitter @paloaltoweekly, Facebook and on Instagram @paloaltoonline for breaking news, local events, photos, videos and more.

'Exquisite Reality' exhibition explores the political power of early photography

by / Palo Alto Weekly

Uploaded: Thu, Apr 1, 2021, 12:58 pm

As an art form, photography isn't that old, at least compared to painting or sculpting, but it's changed enormously over its relatively brief history, not only due to technological advances but also in how we perceive its role, and that of the photographer.

At its inception in the 1830s and 40s, photography was, due to its scientific origins, considered "apolitical," according to the website for "Exquisite Reality: Photography and the Invention of Nationhood, 1851–1900" a new online exhibit at Stanford University's Cantor Arts Center. The exhibit explores how early photography was in fact used extensively as a political tool, looking at how photographers made artistic decisions that reveal their own interpretations of reality.

This exhibition is organized by Danny Smith, a Cantor staff member and Curatorial Fellow who is a PhD candidate in Stanford's Department of Art & Art History.

The exhibit features historical photographs from the latter half of the 19th century. The photos are organized into four categories: History, Modernity, Mystery and Travel.

Each photo is presented with a backstory, and in some cases, shown alongside another photo or painting of a similar subject​, ​highlighting​ ​how differences in​ framing, lighting and other choices made by each photographer or artist​​ can​ affect how the viewer perceives the subject.

Viewers can zoom in to get a better look at the details in each photograph.

To offer even more context, many photos in the exhibit are also accompanied by a link to additional photos on a related subject. For instance, a photo of a gothic cathedral in England has a link to a collection of photos that shows how other 19th-century photographers captured gothic architecture.

For more information, visit museum.stanford.edu.

Comments

Post a comment

Sorry, but further commenting on this topic has been closed.