Interieur van de raadszaal in het Dogepaleis te Venetië c. 1882 - 1892

This monochrome photograph shows the 'Interieur van de raadszaal in het Dogepaleis te Venetië', made by an anonymous artist. While the image is a modern reproduction, it depicts a place built using traditional materials: stone, wood, plaster, and pigment. The way these materials have been worked gives us a sense of Venetian society at its height. Look at the ceiling; its coffers are deeply carved, each panel filled with a painting. The walls too are covered in decoration. All this would have taken the labor of not just artists, but also armies of artisans, quarrymen, carpenters, and builders. While the photograph presents us with a seemingly still, polished interior, we should remember the tremendous amount of physical work and skill involved in its making. By considering the labor, materials, and modes of production, we can start to understand the social context of this magnificent interior.