Gezicht op het San Marcoplein te Venetië 1743 - 1817

Curator: This is an engraving entitled "Gezicht op het San Marcoplein te Venetië," or "View of St. Mark's Square in Venice," created by Antonio Sandi between 1743 and 1817. What are your first thoughts? Editor: It's immediately striking how this scene is constructed, look at that sharp recession! The composition leads the eye directly into the heart of the square. But the figures are so diminutive—almost overwhelmed by the architecture. Curator: Indeed. This viewpoint emphasizes the power and grandeur of Venice. St. Mark’s Square was, and is, a crucial public space—the stage for civic and religious processions, political gatherings, and, of course, the daily interactions of Venetian society. Editor: And I'm thinking about how this was made: the labor involved in such a detailed engraving. Imagine the artist meticulously carving into that copper plate, line by line, translating the three-dimensional world into this incredibly precise two-dimensional image, what a meticulous way of crafting and consuming images at this time. Curator: Engravings such as this played a significant role in disseminating images of Venice throughout Europe. This would have been sold as a souvenir or a status symbol to someone wishing to signal their own travels and good taste, think about who would consume images such as this! Editor: So it's not just about depicting Venice but creating and distributing a brand, essentially? A very precise form of branding at the time. And seeing how labor and materiality are intertwined with marketing strategies centuries ago, very interesting. Curator: Precisely! The print becomes both a document and a marketing tool, contributing to the mythology of Venice as a place of unparalleled beauty and sophistication. Editor: Looking closer, you can see the different textures Sandi was able to achieve through the etching; a soft cloud contrasted to hard marble, just stunning to see so many processes on a flat sheet! It really grounds the perspective of both Venice and image production during this period. Curator: Thinking about Antonio Sandi and the Venice he existed in really illustrates the value we put on cities like Venice and the artwork created there, especially as the city faces contemporary socio-economic struggles. Editor: A very powerful image, not only because of its perspective, but because of the meticulous labour, context, and purpose!