Gezicht op Borgo Santa Lucia in Napels 1861 - 1878

Curator: This albumen print, taken by Ernest Eléonor Pierre Lamy between 1861 and 1878, depicts a panoramic view of Borgo Santa Lucia in Naples. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: It's breathtaking! The high vantage point gives us a comprehensive overview of the bustling port. The tonal range feels almost melancholic; it’s like a faded memory. Curator: Lamy's work provides invaluable insights into urban development and the reshaping of public spaces during that period. How does the image inform our understanding of Neapolitan society in the latter half of the 19th century? Editor: Absolutely. Santa Lucia, as depicted, was a vibrant hub, but also likely an area of great socio-economic disparity. The fishermen, the merchants, their daily struggles - all set against a backdrop of rising urbanisation. Curator: These picturesque cityscapes like the Borgo served a specific purpose for middle-class audiences eager to connect with Southern Italy through the consumption of aestheticised and marketable views. This created something of a visual culture. Editor: Precisely. It makes me consider the role of photography in constructing narratives about identity, both for the inhabitants and the tourists who consumed these images as souvenirs. Curator: It’s crucial to address the potential for romanticization. Does the composition emphasize beauty at the expense of representing the hardships faced by working-class Neapolitans? How does the public role of art affect marginalized populations? Editor: An important point, this idyllic framing likely obscured complex realities for those living in the margins, or any systematic issues within the area, effectively normalizing inequalities. The image then is, inherently political. Curator: Studying works like this invites a critical re-evaluation of how visual representations can impact perceptions and narratives that become embedded within both art history and broader culture. Editor: A photograph can conceal so much more than it reveals. Looking closely helps us unpack those silences.