Gezicht op Villa Berg in Stuttgart, Duitsland before 1875

This is Georg Maria Eckert’s, photograph of the Villa Berg in Stuttgart, Germany. While undated, it was likely made sometime in the late 19th century. Here, Eckert frames a villa that was constructed during a period of immense social change, as Germany was industrializing and unifying as a nation. As one considers the image, we might reflect on the labor and resources required to build and maintain such an estate, and the social hierarchies that made such displays of wealth possible. The photograph presents a stately vision, yet it also invites reflection on the complex power dynamics inherent in such an image of grandeur. This photograph isn't just a depiction of architecture; it's a snapshot of a society grappling with its own identity and the visible markers of status and power.