Frankfurt am Main_ The Cronstettisches Stift garden, eastern section, no. 12 1864

Carl Friedrich Mylius captured this photograph of the Cronstettisches Stift garden in Frankfurt am Main. The Cronstett- und Hynspergische Foundation, established in 1770, offered unmarried women of Protestant faith a means of financial and social support, reflecting the gendered expectations and limited opportunities for women during this period. Mylius's photograph presents us not only with the Foundation's garden but also with a vision of idealized domesticity. The garden is meticulously maintained, but also shrouded in shadow, perhaps alluding to the hidden labor and social restrictions that underpinned such institutions. Note how the figure standing at the doorway, presumably a resident, is framed within the architecture and nature of the garden, emphasizing the interweaving of identity and environment. The scene reflects both the sanctuary and the enclosure experienced by women within these spaces. In viewing this photograph, we're invited to consider the complex interplay between gender, class, and institutional life in 19th-century Frankfurt, allowing us to reflect on how social structures shape personal experiences and identities.