Standbeeld van Dante op het Piazza Dante te Napels, Italië 1871 - 1914

Editor: So, this is a print of a photograph by Giorgio Sommer, taken sometime between 1871 and 1914. It depicts the statue of Dante Alighieri in the Piazza Dante in Naples. It feels incredibly formal, almost staged. What are your initial thoughts when you look at this image? Curator: It's fascinating how photography at this time was being used to document and, in a way, legitimize the monumental aspects of civic identity. Here we have a figure canonized in Neoclassical sculpture, positioned within a public square. We need to remember Italy was newly unified during this period. Editor: Unified…so, how does that play into the image itself? Curator: Think about what newly formed nations do – they look to create shared identities, right? Through visual culture like this photograph. Sommer's work presents an ordered, ideal vision of Italian cultural heritage for both domestic consumption and international audiences. The prominent statue of Dante serves to connect this unified Italy to a rich, classical past. Editor: That makes a lot of sense. It's not just a photo; it's nation-building through imagery. It's interesting that Dante is used as such a monumental symbol when he was such a critical, sometimes divisive, figure himself. Curator: Exactly. It's less about the complexities of Dante's work, and more about the symbolism. This image participates in constructing a very specific narrative about Italy. What do you think about the empty space in front? Editor: Initially, I thought the emptiness felt sterile, almost lifeless. But, if this image aims to convey the grandeur of the nation, the void allows us to imagine future gatherings. Almost like it represents a collective memory and identity, waiting to be inhabited by the people. Curator: Precisely! And that, perhaps, is the genius of such staged photographs. We've created new pathways through the image, revealing Italy as something more than just pretty postcards!