Naples_ Santa Lucia with a View of the Gulf and Mount Vesuvius c. 1860 - 1870

Giorgio Sommer made this photograph of Naples’ Santa Lucia, with the Gulf and Mount Vesuvius in the background, using a glass plate negative. In the 19th century, photography was a complex process, a potent combination of chemistry and optics. The images were often carefully staged, intended to capture the picturesque views favored by tourists. Look closely, and you’ll notice the arrangement of the chairs, the positioning of figures. Sommer was not only recording a scene, but also constructing one. The rise of photography coincided with the growth of tourism, and the demand for souvenirs. This image, therefore, reflects a shift in the economy. It marks a transition from handcrafted goods to mass-produced images, feeding a growing consumer culture. The photograph itself becomes a commodity, packaged for the tourist trade. So, when you look at this photograph, consider not just the beauty of the scene, but the labor, the technology, and the economic forces that made its production possible. The image asks us to appreciate that even seemingly straightforward photographs are laden with social and economic meaning.