Venice’s began with wealthy refugees fleeing the destruction of the nearby Roman city of Aquileia, and a city that would slowly emerge from the muddy islands of a lagoon, a surer protection against invaders than any walls. Its history is the stuff of legends as it becomes one of the largest trading empires of Europe and indeed the Mediterranean, a city of mystique and renown.

Visiting Venice in the midst of a pandemic in 2020, William’s camera captures quiet moments of contemplation of its present and past, of a city normally crowded beyond crowds. A rare opportunity to see it as a normal place of bustling commerce and quiet confidence, forever a melting pot of many peoples and many lands.