Gezicht op het Piazza Santa Croce in Florence met de Santa Croce en een standbeeld van Dante Alighieri door Enrico Pazzi before 1871

This photograph, "Gezicht op het Piazza Santa Croce in Florence met de Santa Croce en een standbeeld van Dante Alighieri door Enrico Pazzi," was captured by Giacomo Brogi. Brogi, active in the latter half of the 19th century, operated during a period of significant political and social upheaval in Italy, marked by the Risorgimento and the drive for national unification. This photograph presents a seemingly straightforward view of a Florentine landmark, but let's consider what's just outside the frame, or perhaps erased by the photographer's choices. Who populates this piazza? Are they workers, tourists, or locals? The statue of Dante, a symbol of Florentine identity, stands prominently, yet it's a representation of a singular, male genius. What stories are not being told through this carefully composed image? What does it mean to memorialize some figures and not others? How is national identity constructed through these public spaces and monuments? Brogi’s photograph offers a glimpse into the past but also invites us to reflect on the narratives we choose to preserve and the voices that remain unheard.