Gezicht op Sorrento, Italië 1860 - 1889

This is Roberto Rive’s photograph, “Gezicht op Sorrento, Italië”. Rive was part of a generation of photographers who captured the Italian landscape. This image presents a tranquil view of Sorrento, a town perched on the edge of the sea. But what narratives are just beneath the surface? The mid-19th century was a period of Italian unification. Photography played a role in constructing a vision of a unified Italian identity. But it was also the beginning of mass tourism, which changed the identity of places like Sorrento. The photograph captures a moment in time, but it also hints at the transformations taking place in Italy during this period. The image is serene, but also anticipates a time of great social and cultural change.