Galerij van de Keizers in het Nationaal Archeologisch Museum te Napels 1861 - 1878

This stereo card, "Galerij van de Keizers in het Nationaal Archeologisch Museum te Napels", was created by Ernest Eléonor Pierre Lamy during a period of intense colonial interest in classical antiquity. Stereo cards like this one offered a dual perspective, quite literally, reflecting a society keen on capturing and consuming images of power and history. This gallery, filled with busts and statues of Roman emperors, serves as a stage for exploring themes of authority, legacy, and representation. How do these symbols of imperial power resonate when viewed through the lens of the 19th century, a time marked by its own forms of empire building? The careful staging of the statues, combined with the photographic medium, creates a space where the past is not just remembered, but actively reconstructed and re-presented. Consider, too, the act of viewing these images; the sense of presence they create invites us to reflect on our relationship to history and power. What narratives are being amplified, and whose stories remain untold?