Frankfurt am Main_ The Cronstettisches Stift garden, western section, no. 13 1864

Carl Friedrich Mylius made this photograph of the Cronstettisches Stift garden in Frankfurt am Main at an unknown date. Mylius shows us the garden, but also a piece of the architecture. The Cronstett- und Hynspergische Foundation, to give its full name, was a charitable institution for unmarried noble women founded in 1770. This photograph gives us access to a privileged world, one of the few options available for women of a certain class at that time. The garden feels private, and in allowing us this glimpse, Mylius may have been offering a commentary on the social structures of his time. Understanding the image requires some research into Frankfurt's social history. We need to delve into the history of philanthropy, class structures, and the role of women in 19th-century Germany. In doing so, we can better understand not just the image, but the world that produced it.