Untitled (Venetian Canal)

Golde White

Golde White captures late evening light on the buildings and rippled waters of the Rio di Palazzo, seen beyond the 16th century white limestone Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy. A dramatic, mottled sky graces the background as a lone gondolier drifts downstream.

The intricately carved limestone bridge, one of the few roofed bridges in the famous city of canals, was built in the 16th century and connected the interrogation rooms of the Doge’s Palace to the Prigioni Nouve, the cells of the New Prison. Legend had it that the view from the bridge offered the final view of the city to those destined for execution, who would sigh as they peered at it through the small, barred windows. This is now considered incorrect, however, as the bridge was completed when the inquisition practice was largely out of fashion - and the bridge’s windows are too small and high from which to see much of anything.