Twee details met dieren van het exterieur van de San Marco in Venetië before 1884

This photograph by Carl Heinrich Jacobi captures details of animal sculptures on the exterior of San Marco in Venice. The image, presented in muted tones, highlights the texture and form of the carved reliefs. Each animal is meticulously framed within rectangular blocks, emphasizing a formal arrangement that draws attention to the structure. Jacobi’s composition invites us to consider the function of these sculptures within a larger architectural context. The animals—perhaps lions and other symbolic creatures—act as visual signs, culturally and historically coded. Their placement on the building likely served to communicate messages about power, protection, or the city's identity. Notice how the repetitive nature of the frames containing the animals creates a sense of order, yet the individual poses and details of each creature disrupt any rigid uniformity. This interplay between structure and variation challenges fixed meanings, prompting us to reinterpret established values of architectural adornment and their symbolic resonance.