Gezicht op Ajaccio vanaf Punta Pozzo di Borgo, Corsica, Frankrijk c. 1886 - 1896

Henry Pauw van Wieldrecht captured this view of Ajaccio from Punta Pozzo di Borgo in Corsica, France, using photography. Born into the Dutch aristocracy, Van Wieldrecht's work offers a glimpse into the aesthetic sensibilities of the privileged class during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The photograph presents a distant, almost ethereal view of the city, framed by the natural landscape of Corsica. This choice of perspective invites reflection on themes of distance, longing, and the romanticization of landscape. Van Wieldrecht, as a member of the elite, had the means to travel and document such scenes, reflecting a specific viewpoint shaped by his socio-economic status. Consider how this image might resonate differently depending on one’s own relationship to travel, privilege, and the representation of place.