Among the events that have clearly marked the history of the Mediterranean, is the opening of the Suez Canal on November 1869, not only for economic and commercial reasons, but also for its artistic impact. The inauguration ceremony is associated to the work of writers, musicians, painters and photographers who depicted the image of an era of rapid transition towards modernity. The opening of the Channel took on a symbolic value: it was the progress of techniques, industry, commerce and art. The effects of the Industrial Revolution began to be appreciated. Trains and steamships radically changed the dynamics of travel. The photography, born in 1839, imposed a rethinking of the painting. The article examines also the work of Edouard Riou, who followed and left documentary images of the opening ceremony of the Canal.
Tra gli eventi che hanno inequivocabilmente scandito la storia del Mediterraneo, emerge l'apertura del Canale di Suez, nel novembre del 1869, non solo per i motivi economici e commerciali, ma anche per le ricadute artistiche. Alla cerimonia di inaugurazione è associata I'opera di letterati, musicisti, pittori e fotografi che tratteggiarono l'immagine di un'epoca di rapida transizione verso la modernità. L'apertura del Canale assunse valore di simbolo: del progresso delle tecniche, dell'industria, dei commerci, dell'arte. Gli effetti della Rivoluzione Industriale cominciavano ad apprezzarsi. I treni e le navi a vapore rivoluzionavano le dinamiche del viaggio accorciando le distanze in termini di rapporto spazio- tempo; la fotografia, nata nel 1839, imponeva un ripensamento della pittura. L'articolo si sofferma infine sull'opera di Edouard Riou, che seguì e lasciò immagini documentarie della cerimonia di apertura del Canale.
Suez 1869. Immagini di uno spartiacque
Perta G
2013-01-01
Abstract
Among the events that have clearly marked the history of the Mediterranean, is the opening of the Suez Canal on November 1869, not only for economic and commercial reasons, but also for its artistic impact. The inauguration ceremony is associated to the work of writers, musicians, painters and photographers who depicted the image of an era of rapid transition towards modernity. The opening of the Channel took on a symbolic value: it was the progress of techniques, industry, commerce and art. The effects of the Industrial Revolution began to be appreciated. Trains and steamships radically changed the dynamics of travel. The photography, born in 1839, imposed a rethinking of the painting. The article examines also the work of Edouard Riou, who followed and left documentary images of the opening ceremony of the Canal.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.