Gezicht op het Palazzo Pesaro te Venetië, Italië 1857 - 1914

Editor: So, we're looking at Giorgio Sommer's gelatin silver print, "Gezicht op het Palazzo Pesaro te Venetië, Italië," placing it somewhere between 1857 and 1914. It’s at the Rijksmuseum now. The details in the architecture are remarkable; I'm struck by how solid the building seems to rise from the water, captured in such soft, almost dreamlike tones. What do you see in it? Curator: Ah, Venice. This image makes me want to step into a gondola and float away… Sommers presents a stately facade, doesn't he? For me, it whispers of bygone eras, of wealthy families watching the world drift by. Look at the rigid symmetry, yet observe the slight imperfections in the stone; life etched into the very fabric of the building. It evokes feelings of longing. Editor: Longing? Interesting. I saw solidity and permanence. Curator: It is permanent but also disappearing at the same time – does that make sense? Like looking at a ghost in plain sight. Consider the time this was taken – the rise of photography coinciding with huge social shifts. Perhaps Sommer subtly hints at the fragility of even the grandest structures. What stories those walls could tell. The play of light here gives it all an eerie cast, like time folding in on itself. What do you make of the Orientalist influences here? Editor: I'm just beginning to understand the Orientalist references and context; there seems to be such complexity to how cultures viewed each other back then, like layers within layers. Thank you for the historical perspectives! Curator: It's all about seeing beyond the surface, right? Each visit reveals new whispers in the art, in the architecture, and in our interpretations. Always stay curious and see where that takes you!