Gezicht op de Passeggiata dell'Imperatrice te San Remo, Italië 1881 - 1900

This photograph, by Carlo Brogi, captures the Passeggiata dell'Imperatrice in San Remo, Italy. The composition, with its linear structures—the road, the railway, the wall—draws the eye along this carefully planned space. The architectural elements convey a sense of order, a conscious attempt to control and frame nature itself. The stairway here is an interesting motif. Stairs are symbols of ascent, transformation. From ancient temples to modern monuments, stairways represent the desire to transcend the earthly. Think of Jacob's Ladder or the grand staircases in Renaissance palaces: each suggests a journey, a rise to a higher state. The very act of walking this designed "promenade" becomes a symbolic act, a ritual of elevation, both physical and spiritual. It is a constructed space, meant to inspire a sense of awe, a carefully curated vista designed to evoke an emotional response. This photograph serves as a potent reminder of humanity's enduring need to shape its environment.