Gezicht op het Piazza del Campidoglio te Rome before 1907

This photograph, Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome, by Edizione Brogi, captures a moment frozen in time. The stark contrast between light and shadow renders a dreamlike quality to the scene. It’s not just about documenting a place, but about how we perceive and remember it. The way the light falls on the steps draws you in. Note the figures frozen mid-stride, their shadows elongated and distorted. It is like a stage set, life unfolding in a theater of light and stone. The texture of the stone and foliage, feels almost palpable. The contrast is so perfect, it is hard to believe that it is not a painting. The image reminds me of Eugène Atget, who also captured the quiet grandeur of urban life with such melancholic beauty. Ultimately, it’s about seeing—really seeing—the layers of history and human experience embedded in the world around us.