Gezicht op Lugano met bergen op de achtergrond en het Meer van Lugano before 1894

Giorgio Sommer made this albumen print of Lugano and its lake in the late 19th century. The commercial distribution of landscape photographs in the 1800s gave rise to tourism, and this image captures the picturesque beauty that drew visitors to the Swiss-Italian border. Sommer was based in Naples, but sold photographs of other Italian regions. This view emphasizes the orderly arrangement of the city, with its buildings nestled between the lake and the dramatic mountains. The formal gardens in the foreground offer an idealized vision of nature, tamed and shaped for leisure. Understanding the historical context of this image requires looking into the rise of tourism and the development of photography as a commercial enterprise. Tourist guidebooks, travelogues, and other sources can help us understand how places like Lugano were marketed and consumed. These factors have shaped the popular perception of this region, transforming it into a destination.