Temple of Vesta 1850s

Pietro Dovizielli captured the Temple of Vesta using photography, a relatively new technology, in the 19th century. The image, rendered in sepia tones, gains its aesthetic through a carefully controlled chemical process. Dovizielli would have been very attentive to light, exposure time, and development techniques, manipulating these variables to achieve a desired effect. These processes – the selection of the camera, the preparation of the photographic plates, the act of capturing the image, and the development of the print, all demanded a high level of skill. Photography in the 19th century, while not always considered high art, required both technical expertise and artistic vision, mirroring the skills found in traditional crafts. By focusing on the material and the making, we can appreciate the photograph not just as a representation, but as an object imbued with cultural and aesthetic significance.