Amalfi c. 19th century

Giorgio Sommer created this albumen print titled "Amalfi" during a time when photography was transforming visual culture. Sommer, a German photographer based in Italy, catered to the burgeoning tourist industry, documenting picturesque views and cultural sites. This image of the Grotta di San Cristofano is more than just a landscape; it’s a carefully constructed representation of Southern Italy, designed to appeal to European travelers seeking the sublime. The grotto, with its religious symbols, becomes a stage where nature and faith intersect. Sommer's work, however, was not without its complexities. His photographs, while celebrating Italian beauty, also participated in constructing a romanticized, often exoticized, vision of the region for a Northern European audience. The photograph invites us to reflect on how places become entangled with identity, desire, and the gaze of the outsider. It remains a poignant reminder of the power of images to shape our perceptions and experiences of the world.