Interieur van de San Miniato al Monte in Florence c. 1860 - 1880

This stereo card shows the interior of San Miniato al Monte in Florence, and was made by Giorgio Sommer sometime in the late nineteenth century. The photographic print itself is albumen, a process that relies on egg whites to bind the light-sensitive chemicals to the paper. The negative would have been placed directly on the prepared paper, then exposed to sunlight. Sommer, based in Naples, was among many photographers creating images for the burgeoning tourist trade. These stereo cards, mounted on stiff card stock, created a three-dimensional impression of the depicted scene when viewed through a special viewer. What I find compelling here is the contrast between the architecture and the image used to capture it. The basilica itself, constructed of durable stone and marble, was built by skilled stonemasons. By contrast, the photographic print is fragile, made from perishable organic material, and relatively quick to produce in multiple. It’s a fascinating example of how new technologies can come along and reframe our experience of established, enduring traditions.