Gezicht op de binnenplaats en de hoofdingang van het Palacio de San Telmo in Sevilla 1862 - 1876

Jean Andrieu made this stereoscopic photograph of the Palacio de San Telmo in Seville, Spain. The Palacio de San Telmo underwent many transformations, beginning as a school, becoming a royal residence in the 19th century, and then being repurposed again as a seminary. Looking at this image we should consider the place of institutions in shaping architecture. It's interesting to consider who this image was made for. The text at the bottom refers to the Duke of Montpensier. This suggests that the purpose of this image was to document the renovation of the palace during the time when it was used as a royal residence. In this way, photography becomes part of the social history of the institution. As art historians, we might also consider the way that images such as this are also shaped by political and economic conditions of the time. We can use archives, publications, and other resources to learn more. What meaning does an image like this hold today?