Gezicht op het Canal Grande in Venetië met rechts de Santa Maria della Saluta c. 1860 - 1890

This view of the Canal Grande in Venice, with the Santa Maria della Saluta church, was captured by Giorgio Sommer using photographic techniques that were very much of their time. The image is a window into the 19th century, not just because of the scene it depicts, but because of the way it was made. Photography in Sommer's time was a labor-intensive process. Each print required careful manipulation of chemicals and light, a far cry from our digital cameras today. The sepia tone, the soft focus, these aren't just aesthetic choices, they're inherent qualities of the materials and processes used. Sommer's photographs were often sold as souvenirs, catering to the burgeoning tourist industry. In that sense, the photograph itself becomes a commodity, a token of experience, much like the Venetian glass and lace that were also popular keepsakes.