Exterieur van de Santa Maria Novella te Florence before 1890

Curator: I find myself lost in time looking at this old photograph. It captures the exterior of Santa Maria Novella in Florence. It’s from before 1890, an albumen print, evoking a bygone era. Editor: My first impression is one of quiet solemnity. The monochrome palette certainly adds to that, almost muting the lively spirit I imagine Florence possessed, even then. The lines, however, are remarkably crisp for such an early photographic print. Curator: Absolutely, there's a striking clarity given the period. It seems to adhere, rather reverently, to neoclassicism in its subject selection and rendering. I’m especially drawn to how the light interacts with the facade, giving form to every deliberate element. It really does make one appreciate the architectural prowess present in this print. Editor: I’m glad you brought up neoclassicism. We see it embodied here through structure. Look at the careful ordering of elements: horizontal friezes, the precise geometry of the facade… each echoing rational thought. The artist—and this is likely an anonymous work, according to our records—captures the essence of that architectural movement in a way only photography could during that time. The balance is divine. Curator: Yes, 'balance'. The print itself almost feels like a memento mori. Knowing what happened, politically and culturally, just beyond the edges of this seemingly perfect depiction of civic structure gives it an eerie quality, don’t you think? Editor: That reading adds another layer. A reminder that even the grandest structures are vulnerable. Structurally speaking, one could analyze the photograph through a semiotic lens: the facade acts as a signifier, encoding power and civic pride of Florence, which at that moment in history felt certain, durable, and timeless. Curator: Hmm, timeless…until it wasn't. Well, this excursion has certainly piqued my curiosity, encouraging me to spend my next holiday examining the stones of Florence a little closer. Editor: I find that the albumen print has also illuminated a moment where art and architecture intersected with burgeoning technology. It forces us to reflect on what architecture might look like at any moment. So simple, and still so complex.