Gezicht op het Canal Grande te Venetië c. 1860 - 1880

This is a photograph titled "Gezicht op het Canal Grande te Venetië" by C. Coen & Figlio. The composition is structured around the receding lines of the canal, flanked by the architectural facades of Venice. The tonal range is narrow, dominated by sepia, which flattens the scene and emphasizes surface texture over depth. This subdued palette reduces the representational depth, turning architecture into textured planes. The gondola in the foreground functions as a visual anchor, its dark mass a stark contrast to the lighter tones of the water and buildings. Here we see formalism at work; the reduction of Venice to a play of forms. The photograph transcends mere representation, instead probing the structure of perception itself. This piece invites a deeper understanding of how we construct meaning from the visual world.