Vesuv Eruption View, Naples, Albumen Print, Dry Stamp, Circa 1870 by Antikeo

An early albumen print by Giorgio Sommer (1834-1914), a German photographer who settled in Naples in 1856. The print depicts the eruption of Vesuvius from the Gulf of Naples, bearing the studio's blind stamp and catalog number 1135, matching the Neapolitan series from around 1868-1875.The scene showcases retouching techniques common in 19th-century photography: emphasizing the volcanic smoke plume and accentuating silhouettes and maritime details. These techniques, frequently employed in Sommer's Vesuvius views, aimed to capture the volcanic atmosphere that collodion negatives struggled to convey. Prints from this era are now highly sought after.