Rigi Viznau – 1880. Nr.003

$ 79.00

Title: “Rigi Railway”
Year: ca. 1880
Country: Switzerland
Photographer: Anonymous
Origin: Glass slide 8.5 × 8.5 cm / The blackprint collection

Size Paper & Print: 30 × 30 cm | 22 × 22 cm
Printing technique: Piezography® Pro
Paper: Arches Velin BFK Rives® France ∞
100% Cotton, Made on a cylinder mould and ca. 250 gr/m2. acid-free.

Frame: 32 × 32 cm
Material: Natural oak 
Glass: clear glass

First edition of 365, Zürich

Numbered and delivered in a vinyl style packaging with a window protected by a clear cover made of recycled polymers.

Discover the story behind the lens in About the artwork.

About the artwork

Rigi Railway: The Vertical Conquest (ca. 1880)
Before the iron rails, reaching the summit of Mount Rigi—known since the Middle Ages as the “Regina Montium” (Queen of the Mountains)—was a privilege reserved for the elite, who were carried up in sedan chairs or on horseback. Everything changed on May 21, 1871, when the Vitznau-Rigi line became the first mountain rack railway in Europe.

A Masterpiece of Engineering
This photograph captures the dawn of a new era. The railway used the revolutionary “Riggenbach rack system,” designed by Swiss engineer Niklaus Riggenbach. Early locomotives on this line were famous for their vertical boilers (resembling upright bottles), a design choice made to ensure the water level remained constant even on the steepest gradients of the mountain.

The Democratization of the Sublime
By 1880, when this image was captured, the Rigi Railway had transformed the Swiss Alps into a global destination. It was no longer just a feat of engineering; it was a machine for “viewing.” For the first time, the breathtaking panoramas of Lake Lucerne and the Bernese Alps were accessible to the burgeoning middle class, marking the birth of modern mass tourism in Switzerland.

Additional information
Weight 150 g
Dimensions 30 × 30 × 0.3 cm
Select framed or unframed:

Wood KR white + anti reflective white glass, Unframed
Shipping information

Switzerland
Free shipping for all blackprint editions.
Orders are typically shipped within 2 to 3 days when the edition is in stock.

Worldwide
Free delivery for unframed artworks.
Shipping periods may vary depending on the destination country.

Please note that this limited edition will be shipped from Zürich, Switzerland, and may be subject to any relevant duties and taxes imposed by the destination country.

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