Leaning Tower of Pisa

Description

This sepia tower hex tile reproduces an 1850s photograph of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, shot straight on so the tower’s famous tilt reads clearly against a plain sky.

Photography this old required real patience. The exposure times alone meant photographers had to plan their shots carefully, and this one captures the tower’s ring upon ring of columned arcades in sharp, even detail, right down to the horse-drawn carriage waiting at its base. The buildings flanking the tower ground the image in its actual place and time, rather than presenting the tower as an isolated icon the way a modern tourist photo usually does.

I picked this piece because early travel photography like this carries a kind of documentary honesty that’s hard to fake now. This is what Pisa actually looked like to someone standing there with a camera over 150 years ago.

This tile is a natural pick for anyone who’s traveled to Italy, studied architecture, or just loves a good piece of travel history. Pair it with one of my hexagon frames for display, or with other pieces from the Getty Collection for a wall of world landmarks.

Available from 1.5 inches up to 18 inches.