Canal Grande met Palazzo Cavalli en Santa Maria della Saluta, Venetië c. 1880 - 1895

Editor: Here we have "Canal Grande met Palazzo Cavalli en Santa Maria della Saluta, Venetië," a photograph dating back to around 1880-1895, captured by Fratelli Alinari. It's a dreamy cityscape, almost painterly. I'm curious, what captures your eye most in this scene? Curator: The dreamy quality, you’ve nailed it. It reminds me of a lost postcard, whispering tales of grand tours and a Venice that perhaps existed more in the imagination than reality. It is quite sentimental! The Palazzo's reflection melting into the water creates a hazy effect, typical of Pictorialism, an era when photographers aimed to make photography look like painting, something soulful. What do you make of that lone gondola gliding across the canal? Editor: It adds a touch of life and movement amidst all the still grandeur. It's a little lonely, too, perhaps. Does the photograph give you the same feeling? Curator: Absolutely. It invites a story. Who’s inside? Are they lost in thought, perhaps, reflecting on the Doge’s bygone power or perhaps hurrying to a secret tryst? I wonder if the photographer considered the human element of Venetian life while positioning for that specific scene, juxtaposing the magnificent with the mundane. The church in the background adds an element of aspiration. Tell me, how does the symmetry (or asymmetry) play out for you in this photo? Editor: I see what you mean, the positioning of the gondola. The buildings aren't quite symmetrical. One side is massive and complex and imposing, with dark gothic features while the buildings on the right blend into the background, directing you towards the Saluta. I guess it captures how cities evolve. It makes me wonder about the lives of the people living in those buildings. Curator: Precisely! I think Fratelli Alinari managed to give us a moment suspended in time. You can almost smell the salty air and hear the lapping of the water against the ancient stones. It invites one to romanticize, wouldn't you say? Editor: It really does! It made me rethink the power of photography. I’m leaving this thinking differently.