Gezicht op Napels en de Vesuvius vanaf de wijk Vomero, Italië 1857 - 1914

Curator: This gelatin silver print captures a panoramic "View of Naples and Vesuvius from the Vomero District, Italy," created between 1857 and 1914 by Giorgio Sommer. It’s part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. Editor: My immediate impression is the tonal range; a sepia-toned dream. The composition, structured along diagonals leading the eye towards the volcano, is very carefully arranged. Curator: Sommer's photography was widely circulated to represent Italian cultural and historic identity, influencing how Italy presented itself to the world during its unification period. Images of Vesuvius, in particular, captured not only its dramatic power but Naples' connection to both classical history and modernity. Editor: It's technically fascinating. The gradation of light, from the foreground to the distant Vesuvius, creates a very pleasing atmospheric perspective. Notice how he subtly plays with textures; from the soft foliage to the dense cityscape. The angle shows Sommer must have considered point-of-view carefully. Curator: Precisely. He situates the viewer at an elevated position, lending a sense of control and dominance, subtly reinforcing Naples as a modern and expanding centre despite being at risk with the nearby presence of the volcano. Early tourists would buy images like this one to bring the sublime and ancient into their parlors back home. Editor: I wonder, too, if that subtle haze across the bay flattens the image somewhat? While this reinforces that dramatic atmospheric effect you pointed out, the softness makes the scene appear simultaneously immediate yet removed. Curator: A fine observation. This sense of ‘removal’, in turn, emphasizes the photographic representation of a picturesque location—an object purchased to preserve the view—making visible what some would soon call the ‘tourist gaze’. Sommer captured both place and idea for widespread distribution. Editor: Well, when I look at it from the position of aesthetics alone, the interplay between light and shadow offers such complexity, that it is worth many returns. Curator: Yes, and from my perspective, its impact as a tool that was used to shape public image remains something still worth investigating today.