Gezicht op de Beurs van Berlijn, gezien vanuit het Berliner Stadtschloss 1868 - 1870

This stereoscopic print by Johann Friedrich Stiehm captures a bustling Chicago street scene, likely made with silver gelatin on a carte-de-visite around the late 19th century. The composition is strikingly symmetrical, divided vertically by the dual perspective that offers an illusion of depth. The architecture is imposing, framing the chaotic energy of the street below. The use of a black and white medium invites a focus on the tonal contrasts and the geometry of urban space. The rigid lines of the buildings are offset by the organic forms of the crowds and carriages, creating a visual rhythm that oscillates between order and chaos. This tension echoes broader philosophical concerns about modernity—the attempt to impose structure on an increasingly dynamic and unpredictable world. Ultimately, the photograph functions as a semiotic field where the signs of progress—skyscrapers, trolleys—collide with the everyday realities of human activity. It's a tableau that acknowledges, without resolving, the contradictions inherent in urban life. The image destabilizes any fixed notion of the city, presenting it instead as an ever-evolving, multifaceted phenomenon.