Gezicht op het Colosseum in Rome 1862 - 1876

This stereoscopic photograph of the Colosseum in Rome was made by Jean Andrieu in the mid-19th century. The photograph presents a double image, designed to create a three-dimensional effect when viewed through a stereoscope. This technology was new at the time. It speaks to a growing fascination with realism and documentation of historical sites. The Colosseum itself looms as a monument to the past, conjuring the grandeur and brutality of the Roman Empire. Made in France during the height of European colonialism, this photograph speaks to the West’s fascination with its classical past. It invokes questions about how the rise and fall of empires are remembered. Photographs like this one circulated widely as tourist souvenirs and educational tools. As a historian, one might study travelogues, guidebooks, and other popular media of the time to understand the cultural significance of such images and how they shaped perceptions of history and place.