Exterieur van het Wilhelma te Stuttgart c. 1860 - 1880

Ludwig Schaller captured this stereoscopic view of the Wilhelma in Stuttgart, a palace known for its architectural exoticism. The building's most striking feature is undoubtedly its dome, a shape that resonates deeply across cultures. Domes have historically symbolized the heavens, divinity, and the cosmos. Think of the Pantheon in Rome or the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. The dome connects the earthly and the divine realms. This architectural choice brings to mind the powerful emotional connection humans have always sought with the cosmos. The Wilhelma's dome evokes both a sense of aspiration and a yearning for the sublime. Such imagery persists through time, perpetually reborn as humanity searches for meaning and connection within the universe. Its recurrence touches a place deep in our collective memory.