Casa di Marco Lucrezio, Pompei (House of Marco Lucrezio, Pompeii) c. 1870

Giorgio Sommer captured this albumen silver print of the Casa di Marco Lucrezio in Pompeii during the 19th century. The image provides a window into the lives of the Roman elite frozen in time by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Sommer, a German photographer working in Italy, documented the archaeological excavations of Pompeii, catering to the burgeoning interest in classical antiquity. This photograph is more than a mere record; it invites us to reflect on the daily lives and social structures of this ancient civilization. The sculptures and architecture of the house reveal the patron's wealth and status, and perhaps hint at their personal aspirations and cultural values. Consider the stories these ruins tell. Did Marco Lucrezio identify with the figures represented in the statuary? How did the arrangement of his home shape the experiences of his family, his servants, and his guests? Through Sommer’s lens, we witness both the grandeur and the fragility of a life interrupted, prompting us to contemplate our own place in history.