Gezicht op de Porta Felice in Palermo c. 1860 - 1880

This is a stereoscopic photograph of the Porta Felice in Palermo, Italy, created by Giorgio Sommer sometime in the late 19th century. Stereoscopic photographs like this one were popular at the time, creating a 3-D effect when viewed through a special viewer. Sommer, a German photographer based in Naples, capitalized on the burgeoning tourist industry in Italy. His images, sold as souvenirs, presented an idealized vision of Italian life and monuments. This image is no exception. The Porta Felice, a monumental gateway to the city, is presented here as a symbol of civic pride and historical grandeur. Note how the framing of the image emphasizes the gate’s imposing scale and classical architectural details. To fully understand an image like this, we need to consider its role within the broader visual culture of the time and by looking at archives such as city records, newspapers and personal letters, we can learn more about how these images were used, understood, and circulated within society.