Stad met haven aan de kust, mogelijk in Italië c. 1850 - 1870

Giorgio Sommer captured this photograph titled 'City with Harbor on the Coast, possibly in Italy' using a technique of tonal range that gives a sepia quality to the photograph. The composition of the work is striking. The strong contrast between the solid forms of the buildings and the fluidity of the harbor is immediately apparent. Sommer's use of perspective creates a unique sense of depth, leading the eye from the sharply detailed foreground of small buildings and foliage to the more nebulous harbour and horizon. This arrangement suggests a structuralist approach, where the arrangement of elements within the photo are not arbitrary but contribute to the whole. The photo, therefore, reflects a structural tension, where the interplay between permanence and change is evident. The horizon line, bisecting the frame, acts as a signifier, dividing the earthly concerns below from the ethereal expanse above, and prompting an ongoing interpretation of its significance.