The Touristic Gentrification of 19th Century Luxembourg Hidden Realities and Artistic Perceptions in a Photo Collection from 1880

In 1907, a brochure was published under the title A few notes on the living conditions of the poorer working classes in Luxembourg (Einiges über Wohnungsverhältnisse der ärmeren Arbeiterbevölkerung in Luxemburg). It includes the results of an enquiry by the ‘League for Women’s Concerns’ (Verein für die Interessen der Frau) in the suburbs of the Grund, Clausen and Pfaffenthal, describing living standards and conditions in the lower parts of the town on the banks of the river Alzette.

The report documents the misery of living in partly derelict houses and subsisting in adverse hygenic situations. It is a testimony to the hardships and pauperism in these quarters and their social inequality compared to the mundane life in the upper part of the town. The decline of the low parts of the town and the topographical separation between the elite and the under classes was not only a literary topic in works such as Kleines Schicksal (1934) by Joseph Funck or merely a stereotype. On the contrary, it was rooted in historical facts.

Anyone who is aware of these social and historical realities must feel surprised by the reaction to a photo collection, published in 1880, which showed 11 views of Luxembourg City and its low town. It seems that the impression of beauty is distinctly created by actually omitting  the misery and the squalor of the suburbs in the pictures. Hence, on 26^th May 1880 the local news column in the Luxemburger Zeitung reads as follows:

We are introduced to pictures of the Pfaffenthal, Grund and Clausen, which we see in a new light uncovering beauties few of us have been aware of. If it weren’t for the fact that these are photographs one might tempted to prefer the artistic picture over nature herself.

The editor seems to have been pleased by the touristic gentrification of the fortress town, which was not merely supposed to show the beautiful aspects to an international public but also block their view on the unsavoury sides as well as the narrow and dirty lanes. The 11 images had been commissioned by a British photography company, founded by Francis Frith, which was producing touristic views of Europe. 

The artist that had served Luxembourg tourism so deservingly was a photographer called Simpson, whose exact identity is unconfirmed. Whether it could be George Wharton Simpson (1825-1880) is not certain. He had excelled in the field of chemical developments of photography. He was, in addition, the editor of Photographic News and the writer of handbooks such as The Photographic Teacher; Or what to do in Photography and how to do it (1858) On the Production of Photographs in Pigments: containing historical notes on carbon printing, and practical details of Swan’s patent carbon processes (London 1867) and a well-known board member of the Photographic Society of Great Britain.

The views of the city of Luxembourg were distributed in three formats by the publisher’s bookshop Pierre Brück: panorama (16x26 cm), carte cabinet (11x17 cm) and calling card format. In addition, the photographs were sold on albinum paper drawn up on cardboard. A photo album was on sale, too.

According to an entry in the catalogue made by Francis Frith’s company, 27 photographs were made altogether. Two photo albums were transmitted to the National Library. One album, in glossy dark blue leather binding and gilt impressed title, with the address of the publisher on the front cover, is named Souvenir de Luxembourg and contains the 11 pictures of the 1880 edition in carte cabinet format; numbers and captions are printed on the securing cardboard. The second album, bearing the title Luxembourg (21x33 cm), with a particulary beautifully ornamented initial on the front cover but without the address of the publisher Pierre Brück, comprises 9 further pictures (16x26 cm) in addition to the 11 already published photos.

Presumably, among good society these albums could actually have been seen lying on coffee tables in Luxembourgish living rooms.

The pictures also had an influence on Luxembourgish photographers. A few years after the publication of the album, Charles Bernhoeft, for instance, created topographical views of the city of Luxembourg and compiled them in his Luxembourg et ses environs (Luxembourg and its surroundings) (1887, 1889-1890, 1893). It becomes obvious that Bernhoeft must have known the Frith Album as he draws on similar subjects and perspectives. Similarly, in the case of Batty Fischer, the influence is clearly visible. Yet it must also be said that Luxembourgish photographers, as indeed Simpson himself, were undoubtedly inspired by views and perspectives in the works and lithographs of Nicolas Liez (Voyage pittoresque à travers le Grand Duché de Luxembourg, Picturesque travels across Luxembourg) (1834) and later by Jean-Baptiste Fresez (Album pittoresque du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, Picturesque album of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) (1857). What remains particular about Simpson’s photographs, however, is that they were commissioned by the photography company of Francis Frith.

▪ This is an edited extract from the catalogue of the “Views of Luxembourg and the ‘Orient’” exhibition, available for purchase on our publications page. Learn more