Tafereel aan de kade te Venetië 1857 - 1882

This photograph of a quayside in Venice was captured by Carlo Naya sometime in the mid-19th century, when Venice was part of the Austrian Empire. Notice the composition which divides the space between the working class on the right, and the bourgeois on the left. The figures on the right engage in manual labor around a large barrel, perhaps sorting fish. Their clothing suggests a life of practicality, in contrast to the ornate dresses and hats of the women on the bridge. Naya’s photograph encapsulates Venice as a site of commerce and tourism, and in doing so captures a society deeply divided by class. The dark shadows and muted tones evoke a melancholic mood, while the reflections in the water lend a dreamlike quality to the scene. It's as if the city itself is a mirror, reflecting back the complexities and contradictions of its society.