Poort van Castel Nuovo te Napels, Italië 1857 - 1914

Giorgio Sommer made this photograph of the Castel Nuovo gate in Naples, Italy, using a process known as albumen printing. This technique, popular in the mid-19th century, involved coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, making it sensitive to light. The resulting prints have a distinctive warm tone and a smooth, glossy surface. This particular photograph captures the formidable stone architecture of the Castel Nuovo, its imposing presence emphasized by the stark contrast between light and shadow. The gate, with its intricate carvings and massive scale, speaks to the labor and craftsmanship invested in its construction centuries ago. It reminds us that even in the age of mechanical reproduction, the hand of the artisan—and the social context of its production—are crucial to understanding its full impact. Photography might seem far removed from traditional crafts, but its reliance on chemical processes and skilled manipulation of materials places it firmly within a continuum of creative practices.