Untitled (89) c. 1890

Ferdinando Ongania made this photograph of Venice in the late nineteenth century. The image captures the city's blend of grandeur and everyday life, seen here along the waterfront near Doge's Palace. Ongania was part of a wave of photographers who documented Venice, catering to a growing tourist industry. These images, sold as souvenirs, shaped perceptions of the city as a timeless, romantic destination. But photography was also changing art itself. Its rise challenged painting's traditional role in representation, forcing artists to explore new forms of expression. And, photography provided artists with new ways of documenting the world around them. Ongania’s photographs provided a detailed record of Venice's architecture and urban fabric. Understanding this image requires looking at the institutions that supported its creation and circulation, from the tourism industry to the art world itself. Historians draw on a range of sources, including tourist guides, exhibition catalogues, and period photography journals, to understand the context and meaning of such images. Art is always made in a specific place and time, shaped by social and institutional forces.