Gezicht op de Tower of London c. 1850 - 1880

This is J. Davis Burton’s stereoscopic view of the Tower of London. Its serial reproduction suggests that the image was intended for middle class consumption. The Tower has accrued many meanings during its long history. Originally built under William the Conqueror, it has functioned as a fortress, a prison, a treasury, and a royal residence. By the Victorian era, it had largely lost its practical functions and become a symbol of state power and national heritage. This photograph participates in the Tower’s transformation from a functional space into a historical monument. Stereoscopic images such as this were a popular form of entertainment in the mid-nineteenth century. Their mass production and consumption helped to shape a shared visual culture and create a sense of national identity in a rapidly changing society. Further research into the Tower’s institutional history, together with an analysis of Victorian visual culture, can help us to understand the complex relationship between art, power, and national identity.