Accession Number
2012/2.173

Title
Interno della Chiesa di S. Marco, Navata principale

Artist(s)
Carlo Ponti

Artist Nationality
Italian (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1860-1870

Medium & Support
albumen print on paper

Dimensions
13 7/8 in x 10 in (35.24 cm x 25.4 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. B. Becker

Subject matter
Created looking down the main nave towards the high altar, this photograph depicts a view of the interior of St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice. Resplendent with detail and ornamentation, the columns and archways of the church are embellished with Christian iconography and symmetrical patterns. At the center of the nave are three rows of wooden pews, before which stands a gilded crucifix. Situated beyond is the high altar, a chapel with a large dome above it lined with small windows. As the interior of the church would have been quite dark, this photograph was most likely made with a long exposure, which allowed the light from the windows to flood the space. This long exposure resulted in the ethereal radiance illuminating the high altar, creating an almost apparition-like presence emanating in its center.

Physical Description
This photograph depicts a view of a church interior looking towards the high altar. In the walls and dome of the chapel are windows through which sunlight shines.

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Northern Italian
Renaissance-Baroque architecture styles
Roman Catholicism
altar crosses
altars
chapels (rooms or structures)
churches (buildings)
daylight
shrines (structures)