Gezicht op Sorrento c. 1850 - 1870

Editor: So, this is Giorgio Sommer’s "View of Sorrento," an albumen print made sometime between 1850 and 1870. The high vantage point and soft, muted tones create a beautiful, almost dreamlike impression. What’s your take on this, seeing it today? Curator: This image, created during a period of intense societal and political upheaval across Europe, presents us with an idealized version of Sorrento. But I ask, whose Sorrento is this? What narratives are privileged in this picturesque scene, and which are silenced? Editor: What do you mean by that? Curator: Well, consider the historical context. The rise of photography coincided with increased tourism amongst the European elite. These images became tools of colonialism, creating a romanticized and consumable version of ‘the other’. Are we, in viewing this photograph, participating in a continuation of that consumption, devoid of the local experience and socio-economic disparity? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. It does feel distant and staged. Is there a way to see beyond that initial "tourist gaze" and view it with fresh eyes? Curator: Perhaps by seeking out contemporary narratives from Sorrento, understanding its complex history, and actively challenging the power dynamics inherent in the act of looking, of framing another culture within our own gaze. Sommer's beautiful image serves as a point of entry, yes, but to what deeper understandings can it lead us? Editor: It’s made me realize the importance of interrogating not just what is shown, but what is deliberately omitted. Thanks! Curator: Exactly! Now, what other historical eras could be re-examined under similar circumstances?