Restanten van de Tempel van Augustus (Pantheon) in Pompeï c. 1860 - 1900

Giorgio Sommer captured the Restanten van de Tempel van Augustus (Pantheon) in Pompeï with a photograph. The monochromatic image focuses on the remnants of the temple. Columns are arranged in the foreground, leading the eye towards the fragmented architectural structure in the background. The composition is arranged to guide the viewer through layers of history, marked by the geometry of the ruins. The ruins present a study in semiotics where broken columns and incomplete walls serve as signs of a lost civilization. The image destabilizes the traditional concept of a temple, challenging fixed notions of permanence and divinity. The photograph presents an interplay of light and shadow. This emphasizes the texture of the stones and the decay, marking a shift in how ancient forms are viewed, from symbols of glory to objects of archaeological and philosophical inquiry.