Giorgio Sommer (2 September 1834 – 7 August 1914) was one of Europe's most important and prolific photographers of the 19th century. Active from 1857 to 1888, he produced thousands of images of archeological ruins, landscapes, art objects, and portraits.
Sommer was born in Frankfurt (modern-day Germany), where he studied business. He opened his first photography studio in Switzerland, where he made relief images of mountains for the Swiss government. In 1856, Sommer moved his business to Naples and in 1866 formed a partnership with fellow German photographer Edmondo Behles, who owned a studio in Rome. Operating from their respective Naples and Rome studios, Sommer and Behles became one of the largest and most prolific photography concerns in Italy.
