Gezicht op Neurenberg, gezien richting de burcht 1895

Ferdinand Schmidt made this photograph of Nuremberg, looking towards the castle, using gelatin silver print. Cities have always been a source of artistic inspiration, but they are never neutral. This view of Nuremberg shows a picturesque, medieval city. But how does this image create meaning? Consider that it was made in Germany, and while we don’t know the exact date, Schmidt was active at a time of rapid industrialisation. In the 19th century, the medieval architecture of Germany was seen to embody certain values and beliefs. What would it have meant to focus on the medieval architecture of the city at this time? Was this an attempt to establish Nuremberg as a place with a rich cultural history? To understand art fully, historians look to other materials that can illuminate how society and institutions may have shaped it. We might look at how tourist industries made use of the architecture of Nuremberg in their advertising, for example.