Cavalli di Bronzo 19th-20th century

Giorgio Sommer, a Swiss-Italian photographer, captured ‘Cavalli di Bronzo’ using the albumen silver print method, likely in the late 19th century. This photograph pictures the bronze horses in front of the Royal Palace in Naples. Sommer, who settled in Naples, documented the social stratification of southern Italy. His work straddled the line between art and commerce as he sold images to tourists, and provided documentation to institutions. Sommer benefited from the political and social order he was documenting. His photographs offer a romanticized view of the Italian landscape and its people. In ‘Cavalli di Bronzo’, the grand architecture and statuary symbolize power and authority. Consider the absence of ordinary Neapolitans within the frame, save for a single figure walking towards the Palace gates, the image evokes a sense of distance between the ruling class and the general population. The photograph presents a constructed view of Italian society, one where power and class distinctions are subtly reinforced.