Rio Santa Croce e Santa Maria della Salute, Venice 1883

Andrew Fisher Bunner captured this Venetian vista with delicate strokes in ink on paper. At its heart we see the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, crowned with a dome and a symbol of Venice's deliverance from the plague. The dome itself is a powerful motif, echoing the Pantheon's oculus, bridging the earthly and divine. This architectural choice embodies a longing for wholeness and protection, reflecting the anxieties of a society threatened by disease. Interestingly, the dome has traveled far from Rome, appearing in Byzantine churches and Renaissance cathedrals. Each time, its meaning shifts, yet it remains a potent symbol, a visual anchor connecting us to deeper cultural memories. Consider how the Basilica's dome, rising above the Venetian landscape, might act as a vessel for collective hopes. Through symbolic imagery, Bunner's etching engages us on a subconscious level, evoking a deep sense of yearning. And so, we are reminded of the non-linear journey of symbols, their cyclical return, shaped anew by history's currents.