Gezicht op het Palazzo Reale te Turijn, Italië 1864 - 1881

Curator: Right, let's dive into this striking photograph. It's titled "Gezicht op het Palazzo Reale te Turijn, Italië," which translates to "View of the Royal Palace in Turin, Italy," captured by Giacomo Brogi sometime between 1864 and 1881. It's an albumen print. Editor: My goodness, talk about grandeur! Even in this monochrome snapshot, you get a sense of the place's pulse, but it also feels a bit… staged? Curator: That's an interesting observation! The beauty of Brogi’s photography lies in its documentation of Italian urban landscapes during a period of rapid transformation and national unification. He operated a studio in Florence that catered to the burgeoning tourist market and those seeking to affirm a new national identity. Editor: Oh, tourists eating gelato probably! Still, I find the scene oddly static, almost as if time is holding its breath. It lacks a certain… humanity? Maybe that's what I mean about staged—a sort of romantic backdrop waiting for a drama to unfold. It is giving Bridgerton in black and white. Curator: The lack of human interaction you are noticing might have something to do with the constraints of the technology. With the long exposure times, the only people appearing are those standing still. Brogi had to orchestrate and choreograph elements within his pictures, carefully composing elements to align with the desires and expectations of the buying public. Editor: I get that it’s documentation, but art is more than just reporting facts. The shadows, they are like secrets lurking at the edges of the buildings. And that wide-open space... does that symbolize progress, opportunity, or just an overwhelming sense of loneliness within this bustling cityscape? I like my buildings a bit haunted. Curator: Well, what I see is that Brogi helped to make places like the Palazzo Reale, and, therefore, the Italian State, known and available to a broad audience. Photography at this time provided a unique means to shape Italian national identity. Editor: So, the Palazzo Reale is an influencer before the Kardashians. I like that frame. And I guess in his images, there are always tourists. What is lost remains to be seen. Anyway, now when I get here for gelato, I’ll make sure I get a selfie to post. Curator: Yes! That's a brilliant analogy. Hopefully, our reflections help today's travelers approach the artwork and perhaps Turin's landmarks with fresh perspectives, a bridge between history and the present.