Gezicht op Unter den Linden, Berlijn. In de verte het Ruiterstandbeeld van Frederik de Grote 1868 - 1870

This is a stereoscopic photograph by Johann Friedrich Stiehm, showing Unter den Linden in Berlin. At the far end is the equestrian statue of Frederick the Great. The image presents us with a view of Prussian society in transition. Unter den Linden was a key site for military parades and public display, and the statue of Frederick, erected in 1851, became a potent symbol of Prussian militarism. We can see how the wide avenue, with its regimented rows of trees, was designed to accommodate large-scale movement and create a spectacle of power. Looking at the people, we notice the separation of men and women on opposite sides of the street, hinting at rigid social norms. Through photography, Stiehm provides us with a glimpse into the self-conscious conservatism of the time, just before German unification. To understand the image better, we would want to explore archival sources, city plans, and social histories of Berlin, to give a more vivid account of life in the city. The meaning of this art is contingent on its social and institutional context.