Gezicht op de Dombrücke te Keulen c. 1860 - 1870

This stereoscopic photograph of the Dombrücke in Cologne was made by Anselm Schmitz around the 1880s. This was a time of rapid industrial expansion in Germany and the construction of this bridge was part of a larger project to modernize the country's infrastructure. The image presents a newly constructed bridge over which trains can pass. Statues on the bridge are markers of German identity. We can view this photographic project as a celebration of German engineering and economic progress. It is an interesting visual code that can be decoded to understand how photography was becoming a tool of nation-building, celebrating advancements in technology and infrastructure. As historians, we might consult engineering reports, railway company records, and city archives to understand the significance of the Dombrücke within its historical context. Art always exists within a specific context, and it is the role of the historian to situate it there.