Wandschilderingen in Villa Margon in Trento, Italië before 1893

These wall paintings in Villa Margon, captured here by Otto Schmidt, reveal a fascinating dance of visual symbols. Observe how the pastoral scenes evoke a sense of idyllic harmony, a longing for a Golden Age, a theme deeply rooted in classical antiquity. Consider the symbolic weight of landscapes, motifs that resurface across time and cultures. The arrangement of figures within these paintings remind me of similar compositions in Renaissance frescoes, where gestures and relationships create emotional and psychological connections. The human desire to return to nature, to find peace and solace, persists. This yearning is not linear; instead, it echoes through time, resurfacing in new forms and carrying collective memories. In Schmidt’s photographs, we are but witnesses to the enduring power of visual symbols to express our deepest emotions and longings, as it continues to evolve in our modern psyche.