Venice c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Edward Goodall’s "Venice", housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums. It has such a miniature, postcard-like quality, almost like a dream of Venice. What do you see in this piece, from a historical perspective? Curator: It's interesting how Goodall presents Venice. The small scale against the vast blank space around it evokes a sense of distance, almost as if viewing Venice as a far-off, idealized location. It speaks to how Venice was presented to the British public, often as a romantic escape, a visual commodity of the Grand Tour. Editor: So, it's less about capturing Venice's reality and more about perpetuating a specific image for a particular audience? Curator: Precisely. It reinforces the existing perception of Venice rather than offering a new perspective, making us think about the politics inherent in the imagery circulated at the time. Editor: That reframing really changes how I see it. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It’s all about understanding the power of image circulation.