Zeegezicht vanaf de Ryde Pier op het Isle of Wight c. 1850 - 1880

This photograph, *Zeegezicht vanaf de Ryde Pier op het Isle of Wight*, was produced by the London Stereoscopic Company. It's interesting to consider the very act of capturing a seascape like this one, and the cultural context that made it possible. The London Stereoscopic Company wasn't just selling images; they were selling a window onto the world, shaping perceptions of places and cultures. For those who couldn't travel, these images were a form of visual tourism, reinforcing or challenging existing ideas about class, identity, and empire. The scene itself might seem simple—water, boats, and sky. But I wonder, what did it mean to be on that pier, viewing that scene, at that moment in time? The rise of photography coincided with a growing interest in leisure and travel, especially among the middle classes. It provokes questions about who had access to these experiences, and whose stories were being told. In offering this vista, what was included, and what was left out? This image invites us to reflect on how photography, even in its early days, was deeply intertwined with the way we see ourselves and the world around us.