San Marcoplein met twee pilaren en gezicht op Isola S. Giorgo in Venetië c. 1860 - 1890

Giorgio Sommer captured this photograph of San Marco Square in Venice, its image suspended in time. Dominating the scene are the two columns, each crowned with potent symbols. The winged Lion of Saint Mark, a symbol of Venice itself, fiercely stands guard. Opposite, we see Saint Theodore, Venice’s original patron saint, before he was replaced by St. Mark. Consider the lion, its lineage stretches back to ancient Near Eastern art. The lion, a symbol of power and royalty, transcended cultural boundaries, morphing into a symbol of divine authority. This visual motif, charged with symbolic meaning, resonates deeply within the collective consciousness. The image evokes a sense of civic pride but also hints at the transience of power. Symbols, though enduring, are always subject to reinterpretation, their meanings molded by the shifting sands of time and cultural memory.