Otto Schmidt’s “Wiener Typen” (Viennese [stereo]types) (1873)

Otto Schmidt’s “Wiener Typen”, which was published in the 1870s by the publisher A. F. Czihak, was the first photo series to translate the continually expanded repertoire of characters known as Viennese ‘types’ whose origins are found in the eighteenth century, from the medium of graphic print to photography. Contemporary authors at the time, such as Friedrich Schlögl, praised the “extremely lively faithfulness” of the photos; a closer look, however, shows that the supposed “Viennese originals” were in part played by actors in costumes and photographed against changing studio backgrounds.