Artist Index: Sommer, Giorgio

Views of landscapes, sites and cities of southern Italy. Mid-1850s. 19 albumen prints. Circa 19 x 25 cm and 6 cdvs and 4 cabinet format photos. Each mounted to card (some foxing).

Giorgio Sommer is celebrated for extensively documenting Italy's landscapes and archaeological sites, notably in Rome, Naples, and Pompeii. His photographs vividly capture Italy's cultural heritage, featuring iconic landmarks like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the ruins of Pompeii, contributing significantly to the preservation and dissemination of Italy's rich history. Sommer's accomplishments in photography led to his appointment as the official photographer to King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, solidifying his status as a prominent figure in the field.
– Some faded in edges, minimal surface scuffing, otherwise strong tonal prints in good condition.

Neapolitan woman. 1870s. Hand-colored albumen print. 25,4 x 19,7 cm (26,5 x 20,7 cm). With plate number in negative in lower margin, mounted to board.

Some creases, some buckling along edges of print, otherwise in good condition.

Views of Naples, Pompeii and museum interiors. 1870s. 22 albumen prints. Each ca. 20 x 25 cm or reverse. Most with negative number and caption in the negative in lower edge.

Pressure marks from album slits in corners, some handling creases, some with fading in edges, otherwise in good condition and most with strong contrasts.

Lit.: Marina Miraglia/Pino Piantanida, et. al. Giorgio Sommer in Italien: Fotografien 1857-1888. Heidelberg 1992, ill. pp. 86, 88 and 135.

Views of Mount Vesuvius. 1872-1888. 9 albumen prints. Each between 18,2 x 24 and 20,2 x 24,4 cm (31,4 x 37,8 cm). Most with negative number, caption and date in the negative in lower edge, mounted to board.

Giorgio Sommer is renowned for his extensive collection of Italian landscapes, with an emphasis on Naples and its surrounding areas. His significant achievements in photography earned him acclaim and the official appointment as the photographer to King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy. This compilation of photographs encompasses a variety of Mount Vesuvius scenes, from tourists ascending the craters and riding the mountain railway to captivating eruptions, such as the 1872 volcanic eruption as seen from the Gulf of Naples. – Some fading along edges. small tear in right portion of one photograph, some buckling of board, otherwise in good condition.

Lit.: Marina Miraglia/Pino Piantanida, et. al. Giorgio Sommer in Italien: Fotografien 1857-1888. Heidelberg 1992, ill. pp. 119, 123 and 124.

Views of Naples and Capri. 1860-1886. 46 albumen prints. Each ca. 20,2 x 25,4 cm (31,3 x 37,8 cm) or vice versa. Negative number and caption in lower edge, mounted to board.

This set of photographs showcases numerous picturesque vistas by Giorgio Sommer, encompassing scenes of Naples, viewed from the sea, the Castel dell'Ovo with fishermen in the foreground, aerial perspectives of the port and St. Lucia neighborhood, and glimpses of Naples' inner city. It also presents captivating views of Capri, complete with portraits of local residents, iconic tourist destinations such as the Faraglioni and the Grotta Azzurra, and interior shots of the historic Hotel Pagano, a beloved haven for foreign tourists during that period. – Some fading and silver mirroring along edges, some buckling and foxing of board, otherwise in good condition.

Lit.: Marina Miraglia/Pino Piantanida, et. al. Giorgio Sommer in Italien: Fotografien 1857-1888. Heidelberg 1992, ill. pp. 87, 92, 152 and 153.

Views of Pompeii. 1860s. 24 albumen prints. Each ca. 20,2 x 25,4 cm (31,3 x 37,8 cm) or vice versa. Negative number and caption in the negative in lower edge, mounted to board.

This collection of photographs features a variety of scenes from Pompeii, including the public baths, the amphitheater, the temples dedicated to Mercury and Isis, Marco Lucrezio's house, as well as several images of both human and canine casts. – Some fading and silver mirroring along edges, some buckling and foxing of board, otherwise in good condition.

Lit.: Marina Miraglia/Pino Piantanida, et. al. Giorgio Sommer in Italien: Fotografien 1857-1888. Heidelberg 1992, ill. pp. 126 and 131.

Building of the Gotthardbahn. Mid-1870s-1880. 3 albumen prints. Each ca. 20 x 25 cm (31,4 x 37,8 cm). Negative number, title and location in the negative in lower edge, mounted to board.

The Gotthardbahn stands as a significant railway artery in Switzerland, coursing through the Swiss Alps to unite the country's northern and southern regions, making it an essential transportation conduit. Among the images in this collection, one captures the early phases of construction for the Gotthard Base Tunnel, recognized as one of the lengthiest and deepest railway tunnels worldwide. – Some slight fading along edges, some buckling and foxing of board, otherwise in good condition.

View of the Vesuvius eruption April 26, 1872; View of Naples with Vesuvius. 2 albumen prints. Each circa 18 x 24 cm. 1 with title and number in the negative in lower edge and mounted to board (slightly time-stained), photographer's blindstamp in lower right.

First print with some surface scuff marks and one retouched spot in left side, second print with some handling marks, otherwise in good condition.

Lit.: Marina Miraglia et.al. (eds.). Giorgio Sommer in Italien. Fotografien 1857 -1888. Munich 1992, ill. p. 119.

Views of Naples: Military harbor, Palazzo Reale, excavations in Herculaneum and rural scenes. Circa 1860s/70s. 11 albumen prints. Each 20 x 25 cm. Photographer's name, title and number in the negative in lower edge, each flush-mounted to card.

Some of the images were most likely taken during the last period of the Resorgimento shortly before before 1870. They show military cannon ships in the harbor and weapon storage areas in Naples. – A few with foxing spots, some with light fading in edges, edges slightly curled, otherwise strong prints in near excellent condition.

Lit.: Marina Miraglia et.al. (eds.). Giorgio Sommer in Italien. Fotografien 1857-1888. Munich 1992, ill. pp. 137, 95 + 84 (variants).

Naples street scene; Piazza Navona, Rome. Circa 1870/1865. 2 albumen prints. Each 20 x 25,5 cm. Photographer's name, title and number in the negative in lower edge.

Early scenes by Giorgio Sommer, the atmospheric street scene in Naples is reminiscent of an early film scene.

Provenienz: From the Robert Lebeck Collection.

Literatur: Marina Miraglia et.al. (eds.). Giorgio Sommer in Italien. Fotografien 1857 -1888. Munich 1992.

Genre scenes: Lazzarone; Zampognari (pipers); Funeral procession; Fishermen; Street scene with hand tailors. 1870s - circa 1886. 5 albumen prints (3 hand-colored). Each circa 20,5 x 25,7 cm. 3 with number11616, 11621, 11629 and each with photographer's name in the negative in lower corners. Each mounted to board.

Unusually large and rare genre scenes by Sommer. – Some surface scuff marks, some prints with small white spots, otherwise in good condition.

Lit.: Marina Miraglia et.al. (eds.). Giorgio Sommer in Italien. Fotografien 1857 -1888. Munich 1992, ill. pp. 102, 107 and 117.