[Plaster Casts of Bodies, Pompeii]

Art Historical Context

In the haunting *Plaster Casts of Bodies, Pompeii* (ca. 1875), Italian-based photographer Giorgio Sommer captures a poignant relic of ancient tragedy. This albumen print from a glass depicts the plaster molds of volcanic ash voids that preserved the final poses of Pompeii's victims during the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvi in 79 CE. Sommer, renowned for his meticulous documentation of archaeological sites, immortalizes these casts—created through a innovative 19th-century technique that poured liquid plaster into ash cavities to reveal human forms frozen in time. The medium exemplifies mid-19th-century photography's technical triumph: albumen prints, coated with egg-white emulsion, delivered rich tonal depth and exquisite detail, making distant history vividly accessible. Measuring 27.3 x 38.4 cm, this image draws viewers into the human drama of Pompeii's rediscovery, blending scientific preservation with emotional resonance. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the Harriett Ames Charitable Trust Gift in 2012, Sommer's photograph underscores photography's role in bridging antiquity and modernity, inviting us to reflect on life's fragility amid cultural rediscovery.

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...