Venice_ View of the Marciana Library, the Campanile and the Doge’s Palace by Carlo Naya

Venice_ View of the Marciana Library, the Campanile and the Doge’s Palace c. 1875

cardboard, albumen-print, paper, architecture

cardboard

albumen-print

photo of handprinted image

boat

aged paper

woman

16_19th-century

muted colour palette

photo restoration

animal

paper

unrealistic statue

carved into stone

old-timey

19th century

watercolor

architecture

statue

building

Carlo Naya's "Venice_ View of the Marciana Library, the Campanile and the Doge's Palace," created around 1875, is a striking black and white photograph that captures the iconic architecture of Venice. The image depicts a gondola in the foreground, gliding through the calm waters, with the Marciana Library, the Campanile and the Doge's Palace dominating the background. Naya was renowned for his documentation of Venetian landscapes, providing valuable insights into the city's architectural heritage and daily life. The photograph's composition, with its clear lines and strong perspective, emphasizes the scale and grandeur of these historical buildings. This image offers a glimpse into the beauty and timeless appeal of Venice as seen through the lens of 19th-century photography.

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stadelmuseum over 1 year ago

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Against the backdrop of the Doge’s Palace on the Piazza San Marco, the gondola glides across the surface of the water, seemingly without a sound. At first sight, what we have before us is a snapshot bearing close resemblance to those taken by present-day visitors to Venice in their effort to capture the special charm of the onetime maritime republic. However, closer inspection reveals that there is nothing at all spontaneous about this image. The two gondoliers merely stage the poses required to propel the vessel forwards. In fact, they are using their oars to hold the gondola in place so that the shot of it will be in focus. Over the course of his long career, Carlo Naya photographed nearly every one of Venice’s architectural landmarks—and thus advanced to become the city’s most prominent chronicler in the second half of the nineteenth century.