Fontein met obelisk voor het Huis van Afgevaardigden, Berlijn 1868 - 1870

This stereoscopic image captures Johann Friedrich Stiehm's "Fountain with Obelisk in front of the House of Representatives, Berlin." The sepia tones lend a sense of distance, inviting us to consider the composition's interplay of vertical and horizontal lines. The obelisk, a rigid vertical form, asserts a dominating presence, acting as a symbolic marker of power and authority. This is contrasted by the horizontal expanse of the fountain and the House of Representatives in the background. The rigid architectural lines and the formal structure of the building provide a backdrop to the organic forms of the figures gathered around the fountain. These figures introduce a human element, softening the otherwise austere environment. The photograph uses its formal elements to engage with ideas of civic space, public life, and representation. The fountain, a gathering place, provides a space for social interaction in contrast to the solemnity of the obelisk and the House of Representatives. The image doesn't just depict a physical space but presents a structured visual discourse.