Koninklijk paleis in Drottningholm, nabij Stockholm 1857 - 1863

This is a photograph of the Koninklijk Paleis in Drottningholm, near Stockholm, taken by Claes Gudmund Nyblaeus sometime in the mid-19th century. During this period, photography began to democratize image-making, yet its subjects often remained the province of the powerful. The Drottningholm Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, embodies Swedish royalty's historical and cultural capital. Nyblaeus’s choice to photograph it speaks to the values of his time, a moment when national identity was being visually constructed and reinforced. Think about what it means to frame power, to put it on display for public consumption. The photograph's sepia tones evoke a sense of nostalgia, connecting viewers to a specific historical narrative of Swedish identity. What stories do we tell through the images we choose to preserve and celebrate? This photograph invites us to consider the relationship between photography, power, and the construction of national identity, as well as the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.