Reliëf op de sokkel van Friedrich Drakes beeld van Friedrich Wilhelm III in de Tiergarten, Berlijn 1868 - 1870

This stereoscopic image by Johann Friedrich Stiehm captures a relief on the socle of Friedrich Drake’s statue of Friedrich Wilhelm III in Berlin’s Tiergarten. The muted sepia tones emphasize the sculptural form, drawing our attention to the composition’s arrangement of figures and their classical drapery. The circular arrangement around the plinth creates a continuous narrative, typical of many historical relief sculptures. What is particularly striking is the layering of the figures, creating depth and a sense of movement within the static medium of the photograph. This interplay between the artwork and its representation in photography blurs the lines between reality and representation. The texture, rendered through light and shadow, accentuates the three-dimensionality, further enhancing the visual narrative. The image invites us to consider how the photographic medium transforms sculpture into a new kind of artistic object, one that exists in a space between documentation and art. The monochromatic palette strips away color, urging a focus on form and structure.