Restanten van de Straat van Sallustius in Pompeï c. 1860 - 1900

Giorgio Sommer captured this photograph of the remains of the Street of Sallustius in Pompeii sometime in the late 19th century. Sommer, a German photographer based in Italy, documented the archaeological sites of Pompeii and its surrounding areas, catering to the burgeoning interest in antiquity among European travelers. This image speaks to the enduring fascination with Pompeii, a city frozen in time by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. As we gaze upon the remnants of this ancient street, consider how this photograph transforms a tragedy into a spectacle. The ruins, once a vibrant hub of daily life, now stand as a silent testament to a lost civilization. The image invites reflection on the passage of time and the ephemeral nature of human existence. Think, too, about who gets to tell this story. Is it the archaeologists, the artists, or even us, the viewers? While the photograph presents a seemingly objective view, it is infused with the photographer's perspective and the cultural lens through which we interpret it.