The photographs of Carl Friedrich Mylius, a native of Frankfurt, are artistically outstanding works and at the same time important documents of the city’s history: in the 19th century, Frankfurt was an important destination for travellers as a historic site of imperial coronations, as a trade fair city and because of its geographical location near the Middle Rhine. With the rise of tourism, Mylius’s photographs of famous sights became popular souvenirs. Many of his views show a city in transition.

At the time, Frankfurt was undergoing not only a political reorganization as a result of Prussian annexation, but also rapid economic and social development. Industrialization and urbanization led to drastic structural changes—entire streets in the old town and inner city disappeared. As a chronicler of his time, Mylius documented the historical sites of his city as well as the new buildings, industrial plants and modern infrastructure.

He was also drawn to Frankfurt’s surroundings—the Feldberg in the Taunus, the towns of Kronberg, Königstein and Gelnhausen—and he left behind the first surviving photographs of some of these places. One of the highlights of the exhibition is a 7.6-metre-long panorama of the Main, one of the oldest known examples of early German photography. In 1860 and 1861, Mylius photographed both banks of the river in thirty-one separate shots. As a photographer he was a neutral observer who captured his subjects objectively and impartially. At the same time, he used stylistic devices such as central perspective and balanced composition, demonstrating his keen sense of design. Even in these early days, photography was more than mere illustration—it was a means of capturing the city in an aesthetic dimension.