Panorama 19th-20th century

This photograph, Panorama, was made by Giorgio Sommer using the wet collodion process, a popular method in the 19th century. This technique required meticulous preparation, involving coating a glass plate with light-sensitive chemicals right before the exposure, then developing it immediately after. The resulting image is a sharp, detailed view of Naples, a city transforming under industrial influence. The tonality is rich, with a depth that captures the texture of the urban landscape, smoke billowing from Mount Vesuvius, and the foliage in the foreground. Sommer was one of many artists who produced images for a burgeoning market of tourists and collectors, which created a demand for views like this one. His work reminds us that photography was not just art but also a commodity, shaped by the social and economic forces of the time. Appreciating such photographs means recognizing the craft, the labor, and the wider context that brought them into being.