Amalfi_ Valle dei Mulini c. 1860 - 1870

Editor: We're looking at Giorgio Sommer’s "Amalfi_ Valle dei Mulini," an albumen print dating from around 1860 to 1870. The detail is incredible for such an old photograph. I’m immediately drawn to the way the bridge intersects the composition, leading the eye into the depth of the image. What stands out to you? Curator: What strikes me is how Sommer frames this picturesque view of Amalfi not simply as a scene, but as a lived space, embedded in economic activity. Consider the location, the “Valle dei Mulini,” the Valley of the Mills. This wasn't just a pretty village, but a working landscape, industrialized by watermills used for paper production, which created specific urban demands reflected by how the town developed structurally. Editor: So, the beauty is intertwined with its purpose? Curator: Precisely. Early photography like this often romanticizes places, but we must remember these locations were also centers of industry. The composition draws us in with the quaint bridge, but historically, it's vital to remember Amalfi's importance to commerce and specifically paper-making during this period. The mills defined life and the environment. Who would have the resources to promote an image like this and how might the consumption of imagery like this play into larger conversations about this site? Editor: That’s fascinating! It shifts my understanding of the image completely. It becomes a document of a working, evolving town rather than just a pretty vista. I appreciate your historical perspective. Curator: Understanding the context of production really enriches our understanding of the image itself. Editor: I'll definitely think about that whenever viewing similar artworks in the future. Thank you.