Gezicht op de Engelenbrug over de Tiber in Rome c. 1851 - 1900

James Anderson took this albumen print of the Castel Sant'Angelo and Ponte Sant'Angelo in Rome sometime in the mid-19th century. This photograph invites us to consider the public role of imagery and the social conditions shaping artistic production in 19th century Italy. Anderson, like other photographers of his era, catered to the burgeoning tourist trade, and to the desire to preserve ancient monuments undergoing dramatic change. In the image, the Castel Sant'Angelo, originally Hadrian's mausoleum, stands as a vestige of imperial Rome, repurposed as a papal fortress. The Ponte Sant'Angelo, adorned with baroque sculptures, leads the eye towards the Vatican, representing the power of the Catholic Church. The choice to capture these landmarks together speaks to a vision of Rome as a layered palimpsest of power. Historians rely on sources like travel accounts, urban plans, and institutional records to better understand this artwork. These resources reveal much about the visual and political culture that shaped Anderson’s vision and the expectations of his audience.