Processione sulla facciata della Grande Scala 1858

Luigi Pesce captured this scene of the ‘Processione sulla facciata della Grande Scala’ with photography in the 19th century. The sepia tone gives it a timeless quality, yet it also emphasizes the weight and texture of the stone carving it depicts. The carving is divided into registers with processions of figures and animals. Notice how Pesce’s composition draws attention to the linear rhythm, with the repetitive forms creating a structured narrative. There’s a clear sense of order, but also a certain depth conveyed through the overlapping of figures and animals. The photograph invites us to consider how the act of documentation is itself an act of interpretation. Pesce’s framing and tonal choices transform the ancient procession into a meditation on history, memory, and representation. It is the very materiality of the image and of the stone that creates a discourse between past and present.