Schöner Brunnen op de Hauptmarkt te Neurenberg 1870 - 1895

This photograph of the Schöner Brunnen in Nuremberg was captured by Ferdinand Schmidt, though the date remains unknown. Schmidt, who lived and worked in the latter half of the 19th century, presents us with a view of the fountain situated in the city’s main market square. The Schöner Brunnen itself is a complex structure, adorned with figures that speak to the social hierarchy of its time. The presence of prophets, electors, and heroes on this fountain, built in the 14th century, served to solidify Nuremberg's identity as a focal point of the Holy Roman Empire. Schmidt's photograph captures not only the fountain, but also the surrounding architecture and the market life, embedding the fountain within the daily existence of the city. What stories do these structures tell about who was memorialized and who was overlooked? How do public spaces shape our understanding of history and identity?