Löwendenkmal in Luzern c. 1880 - 1910

Curator: This is a photographic print titled "Löwendenkmal in Luzern," created sometime between 1880 and 1910 by Giorgio Sommer. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: What strikes me first is the dramatic use of light and shadow. It almost feels staged. The textures of the stone, the trees… they pull you right in. Curator: Indeed. Sommer’s photograph captures a powerful monument. The Lion Monument commemorates the Swiss Guards who died during the French Revolution. The sculpture, carved directly into a sandstone cliff face, embodies immense emotional and political weight. We see it here, of course, through a late 19th-century lens. Editor: Look at how the light catches the lion’s flank, the lines of its body, the curve of its face, such striking chiaroscuro. You feel its agony and strength. But in terms of formalism, the whole thing has a distinct theatricality. Do you see the way the trees frame the scene? Curator: Precisely. This theatricality serves a purpose. The monument functions as a stage upon which narratives of heroism, sacrifice, and Swiss national identity are projected. Remember that this was a time of growing nationalist sentiment across Europe, where art became entangled with questions of identity and power. This location serves as a gathering place and somber acknowledgement of these events. The romantic landscape that surrounds it plays its part too. Editor: It also invites a complex reading of the sublime—a raw emotive viewing experience created using light and texture. There's a romantic visual harmony despite the sculpture's themes. I am pulled into its quiet despair. Curator: An intentional emotional space carefully composed to provoke thought about nationhood and its cost. Understanding this provides an invaluable look at Swiss historical context. Editor: Precisely, allowing us to see form mirroring and supporting function. Curator: Well, this photo leaves us considering much more than its simple beauty. Editor: Leaving a lasting impression of light and sorrow, definitely.