Adolphe Braun

After 1850, Adolphe Braun led a successful photographic firm that specialized in topographical views and reproductions of works of art. European scenic photography developed in relation to the commerce of mass tourism, encouraged by railroads, which exposed once-isolated regions and created a new class of travel consumer. Braun’s views of Alpine glaciers and Alsatian architecture both satisfied the demand for tourist souvenirs and provided a substitute for real travel. Prized for their precision and thus their seeming truthfulness, Braun’s conventional views functioned to some extent like today’s picture postcards.