Napels en de Vesuvius, gezien vanaf Vomero 1861 - 1878

Ernest Eléonor Pierre Lamy captured ‘Naples and Vesuvius, Seen from Vomero’ with photography, a medium that inherently ties representation to reality. This stereoscopic view presents two nearly identical images side by side, inviting the eye to merge them into a single, three-dimensional scene. Lamy’s composition strategically uses the formal elements of line, shape and contrast. The strong verticality of the tree on the left punctuates the horizontal expanse of the cityscape, creating a balanced asymmetry. The soft, muted tones evoke a sense of nostalgia. Note how the depth of field compresses space, drawing the distant Mount Vesuvius closer to the foreground. This manipulation of perspective flattens the image, reducing the spatial complexity of the scene. The photograph doesn’t just record a place; it constructs a particular way of seeing, inviting us to consider how the natural and urban landscapes are framed and understood through the mechanical eye. The image thus asks us to think about the act of viewing and the cultural coding of landscapes.