Gezicht op Bingen aan de Rijn, Duitsland 1861 - 1870

This stereoscopic photograph, "Gezicht op Bingen aan de Rijn, Duitsland" by Jacob Hilsdorf, presents a detailed vista of Bingen along the Rhine. The composition is bisected into two scenes, creating a pseudo-depth effect characteristic of stereoscopic imagery. The sepia tones lend a nostalgic feel, while the composition arranges the town, river, and surrounding hills into distinct horizontal layers. Formally, the duplication invites a reading of structural repetition and difference. The slight variations between the left and right images, when combined, aim to simulate three-dimensional vision. This technique highlights the constructed nature of perception itself. Hilsdorf uses the technology of stereoscopy to not just represent a scene, but also to engage with questions about how we perceive and construct reality through images. Ultimately, this photograph questions the supposed objectivity of photography. It underscores how technology mediates our experience, shaping our understanding of space and perspective through its inherent structure.