Vedute delle ville, e d'altri luoghi della Toscana 1744

Giuseppe Zocchi made this page from a book called "Views of Villas and Other Places in Tuscany." Zocchi's vedute, or "views," capture the idyllic beauty of the Tuscan landscape, but they also offer a glimpse into the socio-economic structures of 18th-century Italy. The villas, symbols of aristocratic power, stand in stark contrast to the working-class figures populating the foreground. As these figures engage in their daily labor, Zocchi's work subtly acknowledges the social hierarchy that defined the era. These images provided wealthy tourists with souvenirs of their travels and, in many ways, codified the visual language through which Tuscany was understood. But, it raises questions around the romanticized view of labor and leisure, and the lived experiences of those whose work sustained this lifestyle. We must consider whose stories are being told, and from whose perspective.