Gezicht op de Arno te Florence 1690 - 1750

Vincenzo Franceschini’s “View of the Arno in Florence” is a detailed engraving that captures a moment in the life of the city. The 18th century was a period of transition, and Florence, while still a cultural capital, was also navigating its place in a changing world. Franceschini gives us a glimpse into the era’s social hierarchy. The figures populating the river and the bridge represent different strata of society: from the gondoliers and merchants to the nobles in their carriages. The Arno wasn't merely a scenic backdrop, it was a working river, a place of commerce, transport, and leisure. This image also subtly reveals the gendered aspects of public life. Women are present, but often as passengers, their roles more passive compared to the active, laboring men. Franceschini’s Florence is a city of contrasts: beauty and labor, privilege and toil, all flowing together like the river itself. The work invites us to reflect on how much has changed, and what echoes of the past still resonate today.