Gezicht op het Piazza Corvetto en het Acquasolapark in Genua c. 1870 - 1890

Alfredo Noack captured this view of Piazza Corvetto and Acquasola Park in Genoa with photography. Here, we see monuments that rise high, symbols of civic pride since antiquity. These obelisks and equestrian statues are not merely decorations. The horse, particularly, has long been a symbol of power and control. We see it in ancient Roman triumphs, where emperors rode high, and even earlier in Near Eastern battle scenes. Consider the gesture of the raised arm. This motif, seen in countless rulers and heroes across art history, speaks to something primal in us. It appears as a beckoning, summoning viewers toward a call to action. We might see echoes of this in Renaissance paintings, where saints point towards the heavens, or even in revolutionary posters, where leaders rally the masses. These images tap into deep-seated emotions and aspirations, engaging us on a visceral level. Thus, this Genoese square becomes a stage where the past continually resurfaces, its symbols echoing through time.