Reliëf van twee heiligen en engelen van de San Marco in Venetië before 1885

This photogravure by Carl Heinrich Jacobi captures a relief of saints and angels from San Marco in Venice. The monochromatic image is dominated by a structured arrangement of figures within a defined architectural framework. The figures are framed by an archway, the composition is divided into distinct vertical and horizontal registers. The photograph presents a fascinating interplay between form and representation. Jacobi’s choice of photogravure lends a tonal depth that accentuates the textures and intricate details of the relief. We see the cultural codes embedded within the sculptural forms of religious iconography; the semiotic system of halos, gestures, and drapery. The monochromatic tone encourages a reading of pure form, inviting us to consider how the organization of the image might challenge fixed meanings and values. The relief becomes more than a religious scene. Jacobi uses the photogravure to explore ideas of space, perception, and representation.