Gezicht op de Reichenbachwaterval bij Meiringen, Zwitserland 1880 - 1900

Giorgio Sommer made this photograph of the Reichenbach Waterfall in Switzerland sometime in the late 19th century. The sublime grandeur of nature became a popular subject with the rise of Romanticism. Sommer’s image caters to the burgeoning tourist industry that developed alongside increased leisure time and affordable rail travel. Sommer’s work helped to define Switzerland as a key destination on the Grand Tour. But this image is also deeply implicated in cultural history through its association with the fictional death of Sherlock Holmes. The author, Arthur Conan Doyle, had Holmes die at the falls in 1893, after a struggle with Professor Moriarty. Doyle chose the location to bring an end to the series, but public demand forced him to revive the character. By understanding the cultural and economic context we can appreciate how images have a life beyond their immediate aesthetic qualities.