Summer Solstice

What these images have in common is that they all pertain in some way to the summer solstice or midsummer, starting with an engraving based on Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, courtesy of the Library of Congress (the source for the other pictures as well, unless otherwise noted).

Shakspeare [sic] – Midsummer Nights Dream Act IV Scene I–A wood – Titiania [i.e., Titania], queen of the fairies, Bottom, fairies attending & etc. 1796.  Painted by H. Fuseli, R.A. ; engraved by I.P. Simon.  LC-DIG-pga-02780

Century Magazine – Midsummer Holiday Number by Louis Rhead. 1894. LC-USZC4-2261

The beautiful Temple of Heaven, where the Emperor worships at the solstices, (looking N.), Seoul, Korea. 1904. LC-USZ62-72549

Stonehenge, Salisbury, England. bet. 1890-1900. LC-DIG-ppmsc-08828

The Castillo, looking southeast. Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico. ca. 1871 – ca. 1907. National Archives: ARC Identifier 523562

And while not quite as tied to the day’s theme as the other images, the midnight sun over Svalbard  nonetheless seems appropriate to include.

Midnight sun in Advent Bay, Spitzbergen, Norway. Between 1890-1900.  LOT 13432, no. 152.