Gezicht op Napels vanaf Posillipo c. 1860 - 1900

Roberto Rive made this photographic print of Naples from Posillipo sometime in the mid-19th century. Photography was still a relatively new medium at this time, emerging from scientific experimentation with optics and chemistry. In this image, the composition emphasizes the picturesque qualities of the Italian landscape, but also the built environment. The way the image is made – through a lens and with light-sensitive paper – is critical to how we understand its meaning. Photography democratized image-making. It also created new business models. Photographers like Rive found a ready market among tourists, who wanted to take home views like this one. The photograph, therefore, is intimately tied to the rise of leisure and consumer culture. Considering the material and the means of its production allows us to appreciate the wider social and economic context of the artwork, and to consider photography as both a technological innovation and a commercial product.