Portret van een onbekende vrouw met boek in een gondel in Venetië 1889 - 1893

Johanna Margaretha Piek made this small photograph of an unknown woman with a book in a gondola in Venice, though we don’t know exactly when. The image encapsulates the experience of tourism in the late 19th or early 20th century, particularly for the well-to-do. The woman’s attire – her hat and tailored jacket – speak to her class. The gondola itself is a powerful symbol of Venice, a city that had already been mythologized as a destination for the leisured classes. Notice how the woman holds a book, perhaps a guidebook or a novel that romanticizes the city. Understanding the social history of tourism and photography helps us interpret this image. The rise of photography coincided with the expansion of global travel, and both were shaped by economic and social inequalities. To fully appreciate this work, historians might consult travel guides, fashion magazines, and social diaries of the period to uncover the complex relationships between art, identity, and tourism.