Gezicht op het San Marcoplein en het Dogepaleis in Venetië c. 1850 - 1880

Carlo Naya created this photograph of the San Marco Square and Doge Palace in Venice using a wet collodion process, capturing the city's iconic architecture. The dominant symbol here is the Campanile, or bell tower, a motif with roots stretching back to ancient watchtowers, lighthouses, and even the Tower of Babel, each a symbol of human ambition reaching for the divine. Throughout history, we see the bell tower re-emerge in various forms, from church steeples to civic towers, each time echoing the aspiration to connect the earthly and the celestial. In Venice, the Campanile stands as a beacon, both physically guiding sailors and symbolically representing the city's connection to higher powers. The collective memory embedded in such structures evokes a sense of awe and aspiration, tapping into our subconscious desire for connection and transcendence. The presence of the tower resonates with the viewer, speaking to our innate drive to bridge the gap between the mortal and the infinite. This echoes across time, continually resurfacing, evolving, and adopting new meanings.