the excelsior Venice
Year: 2024
Material: archival pigment Print
Signature: Signed on a certificate
editions of 12
Large (1188 x 1188)
x-large (1500 x 1500)
grand (1800 x 1800)
Large (1188 x 1188)
x-large (1500 x 1500)
grand (1800 x 1800)
Includes custom framing
Captured at the legendary Hotel Excelsior on Venice's Lido, this image reveals a side of La Serenissima that exists beyond the familiar narrative of canals and piazzas. The square format frames the hotel's distinctive Moorish-Byzantine architecture under morning light, its poolside offering a sun-drenched counterpoint to the shadowed calli and waterways of the historic city across the lagoon.
The Venice Lido has long occupied a unique place in the cultural imagination. A barrier island where the Adriatic meets Venetian sophistication, where Belle Époque glamour persists in grand hotels like the Excelsior. Built in 1908 as a symbol of Venetian ambition and elegance, the hotel's theatrical facade and private beach created a new template for luxury: Venice reimagined as a seaside resort rather than solely a city of art and history.
This photograph captures that duality. The unexpected marriage of poolside leisure with Venetian mystique. Shot on analog film, the morning light illuminates architectural details and water in equal measure, revealing a Venice that surprises even those who think they know the city. It is a reminder that great destinations contain multitudes, that even the most documented places harbor secret pleasures for those willing to look beyond the obvious.
