Mozaïek in de Casa della nuova Fontana te Pompeï, Italië
1857 - 1875
Medium
albumen print
Dimensions
319; 478
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
nummer, recto, afgedrukt: ‘No. 1261.’
Art Historical Context
Step into the ancient world through *Mozaïek in de della nuova Fontana te Pompe, Italië*, a 19th-century albumen print Giorgio Sommer, captured between 1857 and1875. This large-format photograph (478 × 319 mm) meticulously documents a vibrant mosaic floor from the Casa della Fontana Nuova, a luxurious Roman villa in Pompeii Italy. The printed number "No. 1261" on the recto it as part of Sommer extensive catalog, produced for scholars, collectors, and travelers eager to own a piece of antiquity. Pompeii, buried under volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and rediscovered in the 1700s, captivated 19th-century Europe with its frozen snapshot of Roman life. Sommer, a pioneering photographer based in Naples, specialized in archaeological sites, using his camera to create precise records before modern preservation techniques existed. His images brought Pompeii's intricate mosaics—crafted from tiny tesserae of stone, glass, and shell depicting daily scenes or mythological tales—into living rooms worldwide, fueling the era's fascination with classical antiquity. The albumen print medium, made by coating paper with egg whites and light-sensitive silver salts, delivered exceptional detail and tonal richness, ideal for reproducing the mosaic's subtle colors and textures. This photograph not only preserves a fragile artifact but also highlights photography's emerging role as a tool for art history, bridging ancient Rome and the modern museum-goer.
About the Artist
Giorgio Sommer · 1834–1914
Giorgio Sommer, born Georg Sommer on September 2, 1834, in Frankfurt am Main within the German Confederation, emerged as one of 19th-century Europe's most prolific photographers. After studying business in his hometown, where his family fortune was reportedly lost to his father's gambling, Sommer apprenticed as a photographer before launching his professional career in Switzerland, producing relie...