Giorgio Sommer, Pompei Basilica, Albumen Print Circa 1870–80, Numbered, Titled, And Signed
Artist: Giorgio Sommer (1834 - Naples 1914)
Giorgio SOMMER was a prominent Italian photographer, born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, who opened his studio in Naples in 1857 and was renowned for his views of Naples and its surroundings—notably Pompeii and Capri—with a keen interest in archaeology.
He became the official photographer of the first king of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II, and helped immortalize the rise of tourism at some of the Italian sites that had been popularized by the Grand Tour craze.
The Getty Museum, which holds a collection of fifteen albumen prints by Giorgio SOMMER, notes that his views of Pompeii were likely taken in 1863, and that SOMMER won the bronze medal at the 1867 Paris World’s Fair.
Albumen prints, named after a 19th-century process invented in 1850 by Louis-Désiré Blanquart-Evrard, which uses egg albumin to fix silver salts onto paper, have a naturally satiny and smooth finish with warmer tones but remain fragile due to the thinness of the paper, which explains the presence of signs of wear or marks left by previous mountings.
However, despite the demanding nature of preserving these precious historical prints, the quality of Giorgio SOMMER’s sepia-toned vedute—their depth and mysterious atmosphere, masterfully captured by the photographer—have been remarkably preserved for us today.
Giorgio SOMMER succeeded in capturing the strange vibrancy of the ancient site—in this case, the Basilica—which is moving, impressive, and fascinating, distilling the life, opulence, joys, and tragedies that remain eternally alive through the noble ruins of Pompeii.
Albumen prints by Giorgio SOMMER are also included in the collections of the Musée d’Orsay.
A giant of photography, as well as a historical testament.
Dimensions of the albumen print:
Unframed: 19.8 x 25.4 cm.
Framed: 24 x 30 cm –
Visible area (slightly smaller than the size of the albumen print): 18 x 24 cm.
A very small paper loss in the lower right corner and small creases in the upper part resulting from a previous mounting. These are typical imperfections for this type of print and are not visible when framed.
Albumin print sold framed.
Purchase online on the website of our WE ART TOGETHER gallery
He became the official photographer of the first king of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II, and helped immortalize the rise of tourism at some of the Italian sites that had been popularized by the Grand Tour craze.
The Getty Museum, which holds a collection of fifteen albumen prints by Giorgio SOMMER, notes that his views of Pompeii were likely taken in 1863, and that SOMMER won the bronze medal at the 1867 Paris World’s Fair.
Albumen prints, named after a 19th-century process invented in 1850 by Louis-Désiré Blanquart-Evrard, which uses egg albumin to fix silver salts onto paper, have a naturally satiny and smooth finish with warmer tones but remain fragile due to the thinness of the paper, which explains the presence of signs of wear or marks left by previous mountings.
However, despite the demanding nature of preserving these precious historical prints, the quality of Giorgio SOMMER’s sepia-toned vedute—their depth and mysterious atmosphere, masterfully captured by the photographer—have been remarkably preserved for us today.
Giorgio SOMMER succeeded in capturing the strange vibrancy of the ancient site—in this case, the Basilica—which is moving, impressive, and fascinating, distilling the life, opulence, joys, and tragedies that remain eternally alive through the noble ruins of Pompeii.
Albumen prints by Giorgio SOMMER are also included in the collections of the Musée d’Orsay.
A giant of photography, as well as a historical testament.
Dimensions of the albumen print:
Unframed: 19.8 x 25.4 cm.
Framed: 24 x 30 cm –
Visible area (slightly smaller than the size of the albumen print): 18 x 24 cm.
A very small paper loss in the lower right corner and small creases in the upper part resulting from a previous mounting. These are typical imperfections for this type of print and are not visible when framed.
Albumin print sold framed.
Purchase online on the website of our WE ART TOGETHER gallery
450 €
Period: 19th century
Style: Other Style
Condition: Good condition
Material: Paper
Length: 19,8 cm
Width: 25,4 cm
Reference (ID): 1829492
Availability: In stock
Print
