Opern-Ring No. 19, Wohnhaus des Herrn Karl Herzfeld c. 1860s

This photograph shows the residence of Karl Herzfeld at Opern-Ring No. 19, it was taken by an anonymous photographer. The image offers a glimpse into late 19th-century Vienna, a society marked by both imperial grandeur and growing social tensions. The anonymity of the photographer is telling. It invites us to consider the power dynamics inherent in image-making and representation. The photograph is not merely a neutral record of a building, but a statement about who and what was deemed worthy of documentation. The architecture reflects the values of the bourgeoisie, a class defined by its aspirations for upward mobility. The building stands as a physical manifestation of their social and economic status, yet it also hints at the tensions between public display and private life. What stories are hidden behind these closed doors and windows? Consider the emotional investment we place in our homes, as both sanctuaries and symbols of identity, then imagine Vienna, teetering on the edge of modernity. This image then asks us to consider who was afforded such security, and who was excluded.