Gezicht op Agrigento vanaf de tempel van Jupiter, Italië 1857 - 1914

Giorgio Sommer made this albumen print of Agrigento from the Temple of Jupiter in Italy. Sommer's photograph creates meaning by contrasting the ruined grandeur of the ancient temple with the contemporary town in the background, likely made in the second half of the 19th century. Italy at that time was a popular destination for European tourists seeking the picturesque and historical. Sommer catered to this market by producing images that romanticized the Italian landscape. The photograph's composition, with the ruins in the foreground and the town in the distance, encourages viewers to reflect on the passage of time and the transience of human achievement. This image is both a record of a place and an artistic interpretation of it, designed to evoke feelings of nostalgia and awe. The social conditions that shaped this work include the rise of tourism and the commercialization of photography. To understand it better, one might research the history of photography in Italy, the cultural significance of Agrigento, and the role of tourism in shaping perceptions of the past. The meaning of this artwork is contingent on its social and institutional context.