A nineteenth-century albumen print by Giorgio Sommer depicting women working at the archaeological excavations of Pompeii, with Mount Vesuvius in the background.

This albumen print by Giorgio Sommer captures a scene at the archaeological site of Pompeii during the late nineteenth century. Sommer, a German photographer based in Naples, operated one of the most prolific studios in Italy. His work often focused on the topography of the region and the ongoing excavations of the Roman city buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The composition features a group of local women carrying baskets, a common sight at the excavation sites where manual labour was required to clear debris. In the background, the silhouette of Mount Vesuvius looms, providing a direct visual link to the historical catastrophe that preserved the site. The figures are arranged across the foreground, their poses suggesting the repetitive nature of their work. The image reflects the nineteenth-century fascination with classical antiquity and the romanticised view of the Italian countryside that appealed to the growing tourist market of the era. Sommer utilised the albumen process, which was the standard for commercial photography during this period. This technique allowed for the fine detail visible in the textures of the clothing and the rugged terrain of the excavation site. The print is marked with the number 1288 and the location name, consistent with the systematic cataloguing Sommer applied to his extensive inventory of Italian views. This photograph provides a record of the human element involved in the recovery of Pompeii, documenting the labour force that contributed to the uncovering of the ancient city. It remains a document of both archaeological history and the commercial photographic practices that shaped European perceptions of Italy during the Victorian period.