Westgevel van de Santa Maria Maggiore te Rome, Italië 1852 - 1900

This photograph shows the west facade of the Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, and was produced by the Fratelli Alinari. The image presents a potent tension between sacred and secular power. The basilica itself, one of Rome's major churches, represents the enduring authority of the Catholic Church. However, the presence of the ancient Roman column topped with a Christian statue in the foreground suggests the complicated relationship between the Church and the classical past. In nineteenth-century Italy, institutions such as the Church and the art academy sought to promote particular visions of Italian history and identity. Photography, as a relatively new medium, offered artists a means to engage with these debates. Alinari's photograph participates in the construction of a visual culture that reflected these political and ideological concerns. To further understand this image, one might research the history of photography in Italy, the architectural history of the basilica, and the political context of Rome in the nineteenth century. Art provides a vital record of changing social values.