Milan_ Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II c. 1868 - 1873

Editor: This is Giorgio Sommer's "Milan, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II", dating from around 1868 to 1873, an albumen print. The strong lines of the architecture really pull my eye in, but there's also a starkness to the composition. What's your take on it? Curator: Sommer's photograph offers a powerful look into the intersection of social ambition and urban development in post-unification Italy. This Galleria, constructed to symbolize national progress and Milan's industrial prowess, became a stage for the rising bourgeoisie. Editor: I see... a stage. Curator: Indeed. The photograph itself participated in shaping public perception. Consider how images like this were circulated: postcards, publications, displays at international expositions... they fostered a particular narrative of modernity, progress, and national identity, primarily aimed at middle-class consumers. Notice the carefully placed figures within the Galleria – what role do they play? Editor: They seem almost like actors, placed just so to give a sense of scale and maybe of fashionable life unfolding within this modern space. Were photographs like this ever seen as manipulative? Curator: It depends on the context. While some viewers likely recognized the constructed nature of the image, others readily embraced its idealized portrayal of modern urban life. Photography in the 19th century, even with its technical limitations, became a powerful tool in shaping public imagination and reinforcing societal structures. What do you make of that stunning glass and iron ceiling? Editor: I see now! It's both about the architecture and about shaping public identity. Those geometric shapes and natural light give an optimistic aura and a sense of the future. Curator: Exactly. And, that structure declared Milan's forward-thinking mindset and position in a quickly globalizing world. This photograph documents that, but also actively promoted it. Editor: I learned so much about how photography can be part of constructing national identity. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. Considering the photographer's motivations encourages a deeper understanding of how art operates in a public context.