Sculptuur van Flora van het Capitool c. 1855 - 1890

This stereoscopic photograph captures Karl Heinrich Franz Stolze’s ‘Sculptuur van Flora van het Capitool.’ The composition, with its dual image, invites a comparative analysis of form and representation. The statue of Flora, goddess of flowers, stands draped in classical robes, her posture serene yet dynamic. Stolze’s photographic technique enhances the textures of the sculpted marble, emphasizing the play of light and shadow across its surface. The use of stereoscopy allows a pseudo 3-dimensional perspective. Considered through the lens of semiotics, Flora’s attire and stance become signs encoding classical ideals of beauty and virtue. Her image, replicated and disseminated through photography, challenges the aura of the unique art object, democratizing access to classical art while simultaneously altering its context and meaning. The symmetry of the composition, however, could be seen to reinforce traditional binary oppositions. Ultimately, this photograph prompts us to question how reproducibility impacts the interpretation and cultural value of art.