What I'm reading: A treasure at the library

In my quest to learn more about Venice-based 19^th century photographer, Carlo Naya, I went in search of some of his historic books at my local library.  I was overwhelmed and delighted to find a copy of ‘Venezia’ containing 38 photos, mounted on sheets, of Venetian views printed during the 1880s. 

The photographs are obviously made for the tourist market.  Most of the sheets are embossed with the attribution, Naya fotografo Venezia and captions describing the image are printed on the back of the sheets in English, French and German. 

The librarian kindly let me photograph the images...I only had my Iphone with me, and I didn't want to use the flash on works on paper, but the resulting photographs are legible.  I have spent an absorbing Sunday afternoon studying the images.  

Here is a view of the Rialto bridge, together with two more detailed close ups of the photograph.  On the reverse of the photograph, there is a handwritten inscription.

19th century view photography

During the 19^th century, greater ease of travel meant that tourists were arriving in Venice in increasing numbers.  They were eager to take away souvenirs of their journeys to show friends and family at home, and to remember their travel experiences.  Since the birth of photography around 1840, a tradition of ‘view’ photographs of European scenes developed, concentrating on scenic landscapes and famous architectural sites. 

Carlo Naya

Photographer Carlo Naya owned one of the most successful photographic businesses in Venice, specializing in a large stock of negatives showing the city’s buildings, canals, monuments and canals.  His shop in Piazza San Marco was one of two major photographic firms in Venice (the other was owned by Carlo Ponti, Naya’s former employer).

I first became aware of Carlo Naya when the Historic Houses Trust in Sydney presented an exhibition in 1996 at the Museum of Sydney entitled Views of Abroad.  The exhibition showcased photographic images from the collection of Rouse Hill House (founded 1813), and the Rouse family’s extensive collection of photographs acquired during their European tours undertaken in 1868-69, 1874-76 and 1878-88, including a series of exquisite prints by Carlo Naya. 

Some of Naya’s most famous images of Venice including the Basilica di San Marco (circa 1876) and View of the Piazetta from a gondola (circa 1876) were included in the exhibition.

The Historic Houses Trust’s picture collection also contains a series of 32 mechanically coloured photographs of European cities, monuments and buildings which were pasted into an album by members of the Rouse family.  The collection includes several views of Venice including:

A view down the Grand Canal to the Salute (dated around 1900)

A view of St Mark's square, clock tower and basilica (dated around 1900)

A magnificent view from the Campanile over to the Salute and surrounding lagoon

A view of the St Mark's campanile, the Doge's Palace and Biblioteca Marciana from the Grand Canal