The study investigates the influence of the two visual media photography and painting on the works of Theodor Fontane. Firstly, the author analyzes images that can be properly acknowledged only with reference to the historical context. Secondly, she considers the changes in visual perception prompted by the new visual media that arose in the 19th century. The author establishes that Fontane saw and described things in ways analogous to pictures and shows how his consideration of perceptual ability is reflected in the differentiated portrayal of the ways his characters have of seeing things.