Ingang van de catacomben te Syracuse, Sicilië 1857 - 1914

Giorgio Sommer made this albumen print of the entrance to the catacombs in Syracuse, Sicily, sometime in the late 19th century. Sommer's choice of the albumen process is itself significant. This involved coating paper with egg white before applying a silver nitrate solution, making it light-sensitive. The resulting print has a distinctive, slightly soft focus and a warm, sepia tone. Consider the labor involved in producing these images: from gathering eggs to preparing the chemicals and carefully controlling the printing process. It speaks to a moment in photographic history when image-making was still a complex, hands-on craft, far removed from the instantaneity of digital photography. The print would have served as a memento for tourists, who could possess an image of this historic site. What we see is not just a depiction of the catacombs, but also a relic of the era, and a product of skillful craft. The making of this photograph enriches its meaning, offering a glimpse into both the past and the process.