Giorgio Sommer, Capri No. 2134 Albumin Print Between 1870 And 1890 Numbered, Titled, And Signed
Artist: Giorgio Sommer (1834 - Naples 1914)
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, the bay, and the surrounding area—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 to some of Italy’s sites, a trend stemming from the popularity of the Grand Tour.
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.
Proofs of Giorgio Sommer’s albumen prints are also included in the collections of the Musée d’Orsay.
A historical testament, as well as a leading figure in photography.
According to the Staedelmuseum, there are two chronological series produced by Giorgio Sommer in Capri: one dating from 1860–70 and the other from 1890–90.
The Musée d’Orsay, however, dates its albumen prints from Capri to the period 1870–90.
Our print depicts a veduta of Capri, as indicated by Giorgio Sommer’s title, “Famous Island in the Gulf of Naples,” perhaps more specifically viewed from Massa Lubrense.
Sommer creates a captivating composition in his photographic veduta of the island of Capri, whose shape is immediately recognizable while revealing the wild, wooded lushness of the coastline from which he depicts it. Below, the sea ripples with a gentle swell, revealing both its gentleness and its power.
The bottom quarter of the composition depicts a radiant sepia-toned sky. Already, the charming symbolism and romantic essence of the island of Capri were in place, making it a destination of choice for couples in love who cherish freedom and beauty.
Generally in good condition but with several signs of wear and creases. All indications of title, signature, and numbering are clearly present but have faded over time.
Dimensions of the albumen print:
Unframed: 19.8 x 24.8 cm
Framed: 24 x 30 cm
Visible area: (slightly smaller than the size of the albumen print): 18 x 24 cm.
Purchase online at our gallery, WE ART TOGETHER
He became the official photographer of the first king of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II, and helped immortalize the rise of tourism to some of Italy’s sites, a trend stemming from the popularity of the Grand Tour.
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.
Proofs of Giorgio Sommer’s albumen prints are also included in the collections of the Musée d’Orsay.
A historical testament, as well as a leading figure in photography.
According to the Staedelmuseum, there are two chronological series produced by Giorgio Sommer in Capri: one dating from 1860–70 and the other from 1890–90.
The Musée d’Orsay, however, dates its albumen prints from Capri to the period 1870–90.
Our print depicts a veduta of Capri, as indicated by Giorgio Sommer’s title, “Famous Island in the Gulf of Naples,” perhaps more specifically viewed from Massa Lubrense.
Sommer creates a captivating composition in his photographic veduta of the island of Capri, whose shape is immediately recognizable while revealing the wild, wooded lushness of the coastline from which he depicts it. Below, the sea ripples with a gentle swell, revealing both its gentleness and its power.
The bottom quarter of the composition depicts a radiant sepia-toned sky. Already, the charming symbolism and romantic essence of the island of Capri were in place, making it a destination of choice for couples in love who cherish freedom and beauty.
Generally in good condition but with several signs of wear and creases. All indications of title, signature, and numbering are clearly present but have faded over time.
Dimensions of the albumen print:
Unframed: 19.8 x 24.8 cm
Framed: 24 x 30 cm
Visible area: (slightly smaller than the size of the albumen print): 18 x 24 cm.
Purchase online at our gallery, WE ART TOGETHER
400 €
Period: 19th century
Style: Other Style
Condition: Good condition
Material: Paper
Length: 19,8 cm
Width: 24,8 cm
Reference (ID): 1831237
Availability: In stock
Print
