Am Bollwerk in Stettin (Abfahrtstelle nach den Ostseebädern) | On the quay of Szczecin (Baltic resorts harbour station)

As the process of industrialisation intensified in the second half of the 20th century, shipbuilding technology also underwent a transformation, resulting in a change in the design of vessels navigating the river. Steam-powered ships began to show up on the Oder's waters. The first steamers arrived in Szczecin in 1826, creating a real peculiarity. The development of this type of fleet spiked from the 1850s onwards. Both sea and river steamers were moored at the quays at the entrance to the main harbour, and the adaptation of Szczecin's wharves to accommodate such vessels was reflected in the iconography, often used as illustrations for customs magazines or tourist albums - popular souvenirs of journeys, the demand for which increased with the boom in tourism. A woodcut by Adalbert von Roessler (1853-1922), created in the fourth quarter of the 19th century, is an illustration found in one of these tourist publications. The author of the work was born in Wiesbaden, where he graduated from a secondary school. He studied painting at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts, then in Antwerp and Berlin, and was known not only as a portrait and history painter, but also as an illustrator. Roessler's woodcut depicts the Szczecin quay before a steam passenger ship sets sail. The rich and varied genre scene captures the mood at the start of the voyage by revealing scenes from the crowd of elegantly dressed passengers. The economic development of the time made the bourgeoisie richer and thus expanded their scope of activities, including tourism and recreation. Cruises to the Baltic seaside resorts in semi-open steamboats became a valued pastime for the people of Szczecin during the spring and summer seasons. They also became the target audience and protagonists of popular illustrated magazines. Małgorzata Peszko