Gebouwen aan de Po tijdens de Nationale Tentoonstelling van 1884 in Turijn, Italië 1884

Carlo Brogi made this photograph, "Gebouwen aan de Po tijdens de Nationale Tentoonstelling van 1884 in Turijn, Italië," in 1884. The image is dominated by horizontal lines, where the Po River reflects the buildings and sky above. This composition, split evenly between the architecture and its watery reflection, offers us a study in symmetry. Brogi employs the architecture along the riverbank as more than just a subject; he uses its forms and mass to create an interplay of light and shadow, realism and duplication. The towers and houses create an arrangement with a semiotic system of signs that reflect cultural codes of the 19th century. The architectural forms serve not only as historical records but also as symbols of progress and national pride displayed at the exhibition. The image destabilizes traditional perspectives by questioning how we perceive reality through its mirrored composition. The reflective quality of the water emphasizes a formal quality and functions aesthetically, contributing to a larger discourse about representation, perception, and the cultural values of its time.