Gezicht op La Cala en de Monte Pellegrino aan de kust van Palermo 1856 - 1914

Curator: This photograph, titled "Gezicht op La Cala en de Monte Pellegrino aan de kust van Palermo," captures a view of La Cala and Monte Pellegrino on the coast of Palermo. It's attributed to Giuseppe Incorpora and believed to have been created sometime between 1856 and 1914. Editor: Wow, that title is a mouthful! But seriously, it has this incredibly dreamy, hazy quality about it, almost like a faded memory. There's something peaceful, yet slightly melancholic, in the sepia tones and the way the details seem to gently dissolve into the background. Curator: The use of sepia is characteristic of photography from that period, which lends itself perfectly to a discussion about the rise of pictorialism. Incorpora presents a vision that is in alignment with notions of aesthetic refinement and even evokes certain visual analogies between photography and painting. Editor: Pictorialism, okay, but there’s also just a sense of daily life happening. You can almost smell the sea air, hear the creaking of the boats, the activity near the pier… And look at Monte Pellegrino lurking back there! Curator: Absolutely. The photograph allows us to explore the socio-economic fabric of the time. The presence of workers, boats, and goods alludes to the city’s role as a bustling port. These elements offer insights into the class dynamics within the city. The structures, in relation to the natural landscape, also speaks volumes about man’s dominion over nature. Editor: Dominance, perhaps… but nature still has that brooding presence in the background, a reminder of a force bigger than everything. It is faint, almost as if it is being blurred out of the frame as progress and industry take over. What does that suggest? I feel it suggests we be cognisant of human existence in conjunction with nature. Curator: That tension is central, really. This photograph gives insight into Palermo as a nexus of Mediterranean trade and life in the 19th and early 20th centuries. I love to contemplate these works from the viewpoint of today. Editor: Exactly! It is thought provoking to think about the artist behind the lens and imagine the lives and perspectives embedded within. Curator: Indeed, and hopefully such inquiries contribute to a deeper connection to both the photograph and Palermo's past. Editor: Definitely leaves you with a gentle nudge of introspection. Thanks Giuseppe Incorpora.