Albrechtsbrunnen, Wenen 1868 - 1880

This is a photograph of Albrechtsbrunnen in Vienna, created by M. Frankenstein & Co. Reflecting on this image, one might consider the historical context of photographic production and distribution at the time. The Albrechtsbrunnen, a monument of civic pride, is here reduced to a commodity, a souvenir for the burgeoning tourist industry. The monumentality of the fountain is contrasted with the small size of the photograph itself. Who was this image for, and what sort of stories about Vienna were being sold? The clean lines of the architecture and the classical statuary evoke a sense of order and tradition, yet this is mediated through the then-new technology of photography. What is captured and what is left out? How does it shape our understanding of history?