Poort van Palazzo Doria Spinola in Genua c. 1870

This photograph of the Palazzo Doria Spinola in Genoa was taken by Alfredo Noack, an Italian photographer of German origin, in the late 19th century. Noack's work coincided with Italy's unification and the rise of national identity. Here, Noack captures the grandeur of the Palazzo's entrance. The elaborate carvings, the figures reclining above the doorway, and the sheer scale evoke a sense of power and history. But, it’s the open doorway that intrigues me most. It invites us to consider not just the opulence of the Palazzo, but the world outside. We see a glimpse of the port, a place of trade, migration, and exchange. Noack's photograph isn't just a record of a building; it is a meditation on the intersection of public and private, and on the relationship between power, history, and the everyday lives of the Genoese people. It urges us to reflect on the narratives we construct about ourselves and the spaces we inhabit.