Mike#911
Reflections of Castle Craheim
Photographed in the late afternoon light, this image shows the front view of Castle Craheim, mirrored in the still waters of its ornamental pond. The sun, low on the horizon, veils the sky in a silvery haze, softening the contrasts and giving the stone façade a gentle, timeless glow.
The composition draws the eye along the central axis — from the shimmering reflection on the pond’s surface to the symmetrical architecture above. Despite the subdued light, the scene reveals remarkable detail: the carefully trimmed hedges, the steps leading to the terrace, and the stately balance of the neoclassical design.
Castle Craheim was commissioned by Crafft Freiherr Truchsess von und zu Wetzhausen after his marriage to Clara J. Erhart, daughter of Charles F. Erhart, who co-founded the pharmaceutical company Pfizer in 1849 together with his cousin Karl Pfizer in Brooklyn, New York. Clara, born on December 27, 1857, in New York City, passed away on February 14, 1926, at Castle Craheim and was later laid to rest at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.
The founder families Pfizer and Erhart withdrew early from the company’s active management. The last descendant directly involved in its leadership was Emile Pfizer, son of the founder Charles Pfizer, who served as president from 1906 to 1941. Pfizer remained privately owned until June 22, 1942, when it first offered shares to the public. Today, Pfizer ranks among the world’s ten largest pharmaceutical corporations, with a market capitalization of around €132.5 billion.
Captured with a Leica D-Lux 8 in the Leica Standard look, this photograph remains unedited, preserving the authentic tones and natural lighting as they appeared at the moment of capture. The result is a quiet dialogue between water, structure, and sky — a tranquil reflection of Franconian serenity intertwined with a story that reaches far beyond its hills, across the Atlantic and into the modern age of science and enterprise.
Reflections of Castle Craheim
Photographed in the late afternoon light, this image shows the front view of Castle Craheim, mirrored in the still waters of its ornamental pond. The sun, low on the horizon, veils the sky in a silvery haze, softening the contrasts and giving the stone façade a gentle, timeless glow.
The composition draws the eye along the central axis — from the shimmering reflection on the pond’s surface to the symmetrical architecture above. Despite the subdued light, the scene reveals remarkable detail: the carefully trimmed hedges, the steps leading to the terrace, and the stately balance of the neoclassical design.
Castle Craheim was commissioned by Crafft Freiherr Truchsess von und zu Wetzhausen after his marriage to Clara J. Erhart, daughter of Charles F. Erhart, who co-founded the pharmaceutical company Pfizer in 1849 together with his cousin Karl Pfizer in Brooklyn, New York. Clara, born on December 27, 1857, in New York City, passed away on February 14, 1926, at Castle Craheim and was later laid to rest at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.
The founder families Pfizer and Erhart withdrew early from the company’s active management. The last descendant directly involved in its leadership was Emile Pfizer, son of the founder Charles Pfizer, who served as president from 1906 to 1941. Pfizer remained privately owned until June 22, 1942, when it first offered shares to the public. Today, Pfizer ranks among the world’s ten largest pharmaceutical corporations, with a market capitalization of around €132.5 billion.
Captured with a Leica D-Lux 8 in the Leica Standard look, this photograph remains unedited, preserving the authentic tones and natural lighting as they appeared at the moment of capture. The result is a quiet dialogue between water, structure, and sky — a tranquil reflection of Franconian serenity intertwined with a story that reaches far beyond its hills, across the Atlantic and into the modern age of science and enterprise.