Standbeeld van koning Friedrich Wilhelm III in de Tiergarten, Berlijn 1871 - 1885

This photographic print captures a statue of King Friedrich Wilhelm III in Berlin’s Tiergarten. Its sepia tones and sharp contrasts emphasize the monument's structured form, contrasting the statue against its dark backdrop. Notice how the photographer uses vertical lines, most notably in the statue itself and the surrounding fence, to draw the eye upwards, accentuating the figure’s height and stature. The composition positions the statue centrally, reinforcing its symbolic significance. This reflects a structuralist approach, where such visual elements signify order and hierarchy within the urban landscape. The statue, standing on an ornate pedestal, might be interpreted through semiotics. The pedestal, adorned with reliefs, encodes historical narratives and cultural values. The photograph invites us to decode these visual signs, to reveal the underlying structures of power and memory embedded within the monument. Ultimately, the photograph captures not just a likeness, but the cultural and historical weight of representation itself.