Ingang van het Tivolipark in Hannover 1869 - 1872

This stereoscopic photograph shows the entrance to the Tivoli Park in Hanover, and was made by Johann Friedrich Stiehm sometime in the late 19th century. Photography at this time was a complex, painstaking process, involving the careful preparation of glass plates, and long exposure times. Consider the social context; the rise of photography went hand in hand with the expansion of the middle class, who wanted to see the world, but couldn't necessarily afford to travel. This photographic print would have been mounted on card, and sold as a souvenir, a durable memento of a visit. The image shows a highly ornamented entranceway, a Gothic Revival archway with carefully articulated stonework, and fine ironwork gates. It would have been costly to design and construct. The photograph provides more than just visual information; it's also evidence of a rapidly changing society, and the development of new technologies of image production and consumption. Stiehm’s image reminds us that what we now call photography had deep ties to both commerce and craftsmanship.