Palazzo Pitti te Florence, Italië 1864 - 1881

This albumen print shows the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Italy, and was made by Giacomo Brogi sometime in the mid-19th century. The Palazzo Pitti is a study in power, both architecturally and culturally. Originally the residence of the Pitti family, it was later acquired by the Medici, becoming a symbol of their dominance in Florence. Brogi's photograph, taken during a time of significant social and political change in Italy, presents the palace as a stoic monument, an ever-lasting symbol of authority. Brogi ran a photography studio in Florence. He was well placed to provide photographs to the rising tourist industry as well as to document the changing urban landscape. His photographs are of great importance to the study of Florentine history. Understanding the history of art is like detective work; the historian uses photographs like this, along with letters, inventories, and other documents, to uncover the complex stories behind our cultural heritage.