Drie slachtoffers van de aardbeving in Casamicciola op 28 juli 1883 Possibly 1883 - 1887

Editor: This is "Drie slachtoffers van de aardbeving in Casamicciola op 28 juli 1883," or "Three victims of the earthquake in Casamicciola on July 28, 1883," a gelatin-silver print, likely from between 1883 and 1887, by Giorgio Sommer. It's a harrowing scene, incredibly stark and moving. What's your immediate take on this, given its powerful subject matter? Curator: It’s as direct as a punch in the gut, isn’t it? Sommer hasn’t shied away from presenting us with the brutal aftermath of a natural disaster. It reminds me a little of Goya's Disasters of War, not in style, but in unflinching honesty. I wonder, when you look at this photograph, do you see more of a documentary record, or do you feel something more akin to, say, a historical painting? Editor: I definitely lean towards feeling like it's more than just documentary; it’s impossible not to connect with the human element. There's something intensely vulnerable about these bodies amongst the rubble. Curator: Absolutely. And that’s where Sommer, for me, transcends mere documentation. It is the choice of composition: how the light falls, the textures of stone and fabric against the skin. The way he compels us to bear witness…it becomes a meditation on mortality. The rubble almost seems to want to reclaim what was once there. Tell me, do you think that the supposed contemporary and realism styles are correct attributions for this photo? Editor: It makes me rethink what “contemporary” means. The contemporary here means…of that time! The horror shown relates it to a specific take on realism. Thanks, that was quite profound. Curator: And that, my friend, is the magic of art: to perpetually challenge and expand our perspectives. A truly powerful image. I will always remember this, and our talk together, thank you.