Exterieur van de Bayerische Staatsbibliothek te München c. 1870 - 1885

This is a stereo card, likely made by Georg Böttger in the late 19th century, depicting the Bavarian State Library in Munich. Produced using photographic emulsion on a paper card, this image was created as a form of popular entertainment. Stereo cards were a Victorian form of virtual reality, creating an immersive 3D experience when viewed through a stereoscope. The process involved a special camera with two lenses which captured two images simultaneously, mimicking the binocular vision of human eyes. Once printed, the subtle difference between the two images gave the illusion of depth. The mass production of stereo cards coincided with the rise of industrial photography, but there's artistry here too. Photographers like Böttger often staged their shots, carefully composing scenes. Consider the labor involved: from the photographer, to the darkroom technicians, to the distributors. The history of photography like this is entwined with social history, technological innovation, and the rise of mass media.