Panoramafoto van de Fondamente Salute en Giudecca in Venetië, genomen vanaf de Campanile 1860 - 1881

This panoramic photograph of Venice, capturing the Fondamente Salute and Giudecca, was taken by Carlo Ponti using the 19th-century technology of albumen print. The albumen process, involving coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate, gives this print its characteristic sepia tones and smooth surface. But why albumen? Because of its availability, and its ability to create a highly detailed image. The process, however, was labor-intensive, requiring careful preparation and printing to achieve the desired tonal range and clarity. Ponti’s expertise is evident in the photograph’s sharpness and expansive view, capturing the architectural grandeur of Venice. The choice of photography itself—a relatively new technology at the time—as a medium to depict Venice, a city often rendered in paint or etching, speaks volumes about the changing landscape of image-making and the democratization of representation. In doing so, Ponti’s photo offers a glimpse into Venice's evolving identity amidst a rapidly changing world.