Fotoreproductie van schilderij/fresco Santa Barbara door Palma Vecchio in de S. Maria Formosa te Venetië c. 1860 - 1880

Carlo Naya created this photographic reproduction of Palma Vecchio’s Santa Barbara fresco in Venice sometime in the 19th century. Naya, working in Venice during a period of significant transformation, documented the city’s art and architecture, playing a role in shaping cultural memory. This image captures Santa Barbara, a Christian saint often invoked for protection against fire and sudden death. In the original fresco, painted in the early 16th century, Vecchio imagines her draped in luxurious fabrics, a visual signifier of both her piety and aristocratic status. Naya's photograph, taken centuries later, mediates our understanding of this figure, reflecting shifting cultural values and evolving modes of representation. Naya’s reproduction also reflects the rise of photography as a tool for art historical study and cultural preservation. Consider how photography, in its capacity to democratize access to art, transforms the aura and experience of the original fresco. Photography captures the original art and reframes conversations around it.