Exterieur van de Toren van Pisa before 1880

This stereograph of the Leaning Tower of Pisa was created by Enrico van Lint in the mid-19th century. Van Lint's work exists at a pivotal intersection of art, commerce, and tourism. Stereographs like this one were a popular form of entertainment, offering viewers a simulated three-dimensional experience. They allowed people to travel vicariously to distant lands, and the Tower of Pisa, with its famous architectural flaw, became a sought-after subject. Consider how the rising middle class, empowered by industrialization, fueled a demand for these images. Photography democratized art, offering a tangible piece of the world to consumers and contributing to the development of a global visual culture. What does it mean to possess an image of a place, and how does that shape our understanding and experience of it? This image, like so many others, invites us to reflect on our relationship to place, culture, and the stories we tell ourselves about the world.