Straat met restanten van graftombes in Pompeï c. 1860 - 1900

Giorgio Sommer captured this image of a street with the remains of tombs in Pompeii using photography, a relatively new medium, in the 19th century. Photography at the time required a labor-intensive process. Each print demanded careful preparation of photographic plates, precise timing during exposure, and meticulous development in a darkroom. It wasn't just pointing and shooting; it was a craft. Sommer, like other photographers, was part of a burgeoning industry, catering to a growing appetite for visual documentation and exotic views. The materiality of the photograph itself – the paper, the chemical emulsions – speaks to the industrial processes that made mass reproduction possible. This contrasts sharply with the ancient ruins depicted, remnants of a society built on vastly different modes of production and labor. Sommer's photograph thus captures a moment of transition, where old and new ways of seeing and making collide. It challenges us to consider the social and economic contexts that shape both the creation and our understanding of art.