Pompeii_ Fountain in the Casa del gran balcone c. 1865

Editor: Here we have Giorgio Sommer's "Fountain in the Casa del gran balcone, Pompeii", taken around 1865, an albumen print that captures a scene frozen in time. There's something very melancholic about it, a preserved domestic space that no longer exists as it was. What are your thoughts when you look at this photograph? Curator: Well, considering its material nature as an albumen print, it is important to consider this photograph not only as an image but also as a commercial product, catering to the burgeoning 19th-century tourism industry. Its reproduction was directly related to consumerism and romantic interest in antiquities. What was involved in making the fountain, originally, though? Editor: Good question. Given that it’s in Pompeii, you imagine skilled artisans using local stone and the knowledge passed down through generations. What kind of labor would that require, and would a wealthy person have to be, to have this made? Curator: Exactly. And even its rediscovery in the 18th century generated massive industrial activity surrounding its excavation and restoration. The print itself, the albumen paper, how were they manufactured, and who was handling such potentially toxic materials? Were these artisans and laborers acknowledged, or were their contributions masked? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way before – all those unseen hands! It really brings a whole new level of complexity to the image. Curator: Indeed. The final photograph and, even further, this photograph having a modern audience speaks to the labor required not just in Pompeii, but in bringing these goods to today's audience. It makes us confront how much we don’t see, doesn’t it?