Gezicht op Piazza Corvetto in Genua c. 1870 - 1900

Alfredo Noack captured this view of Piazza Corvetto in Genoa with a camera and photographic paper sometime in the late 19th century. The image depicts a carefully designed urban space, reflective of Genoa's aspirations as a modern, prosperous city. Statues of national heroes command the square, signalling the values that the city wants to promote. But what is equally revealing is what the image leaves out. We are not shown the old medieval city with its narrow streets and the working class life within them. The image is striking for its conservative nature, and the way in which it participates in the aesthetic project of Italian unification. Noack's photograph, through careful composition and framing, constructs a specific narrative of urban progress and national identity. To fully understand the photograph, one would want to look at city plans, guidebooks, and other visual representations of Genoa from this period. Considering the institutions and their function is crucial to gaining a deeper understanding.