Gezicht op het Sint-Pietersplein te Vaticaanstad, Italië 1881 - 1900

This is a photograph of St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, Italy, taken by Carlo Brogi, who died in 1925. The photograph captures a sweeping view of the square, emphasizing the grand scale and architectural symmetry of the space. Notice the strong linear perspective, which draws your eye towards the obelisk at the center, flanked by matching fountains. This architectural layout, combined with the photograph's monochrome palette, creates a sense of order and permanence, qualities often associated with classical and religious structures. The precise arrangement of elements – the colonnades, the statues atop, and the patterned pavement – suggests a meticulously planned space. The use of light and shadow further enhances the geometry, reinforcing the themes of structure and control inherent in the architecture and mirrored by Brogi’s photographic composition. What does this photograph reveal about the human desire to impose order on the world? What ideologies of space and representation are at play here?