Naples_ Costume, No. 11631 c. 1870 - 1880

Giorgio Sommer captured this image in Naples using a process called albumen print, which was popular in the mid-19th century. The process involves coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, making it sensitive to light. The print has a warm, sepia tone and a smooth surface, which lends the scene a timeless quality. Look closely and you will notice the extraordinary level of detail the process could achieve. You can see the textures of the building’s weathered facade, and the clothing of the figures. Beyond the technical aspects, the image gives us a window into the lives of working-class Neapolitans. Sommer's composition captures the scene candidly. The image invites us to reflect on the amount of labor required for the production of goods and services, and the social and economic dynamics at play in 19th-century Naples. Sommer's work challenges traditional notions of art by blurring the lines between documentary, and artistic expression.