Gezicht op de paradijsfontein in het Castello della Zisa te Palermo 1862 - 1876

This stereo card, created by Jean Andrieu in the 19th century, presents a photographic view of the paradise fountain in the Castello della Zisa, Palermo. The photographic process itself is key here. Unlike a painting or sculpture, the photograph captures a specific moment in time, fixed through chemical processes on a light-sensitive material. The creation of stereo cards involved a laborious process of photography, printing, and mounting, reflecting the burgeoning industrialization of image production during this era. Consider the social context too. This stereo card would have been purchased and viewed as a leisure activity, bringing distant places and cultures into the domestic sphere. This act of consumption is tied to the economic systems that supported both the production of such images and the romanticized view of foreign lands. By understanding these material and social dimensions, we can appreciate how this stereo card operates not only as a visual document, but as a cultural artifact embedded in the history of photography and consumption.