Fontana di Piazza Farnese te Rome c. 1875 - 1900

Gustave Eugène Chauffourier captured the Fontana di Piazza Farnese in Rome with photography, a medium which emerged during a time of immense social and technological change. Chauffourier’s photograph freezes a moment in a city steeped in history, inviting us to contemplate the narratives embedded within its stones. The fountain, set against the backdrop of the Farnese Palace, becomes a focal point for considering power, privilege, and representation. Think about the labor and resources required to construct such a monument, and who benefited from its existence. Consider how the photograph itself, as a relatively new technology, democratized the viewing of such sites, allowing people from different social strata to access and interpret these symbols of authority. Chauffourier’s lens captures not only the physical space, but also the complex interplay of social dynamics and historical legacies. The photograph serves as a reminder of the stories we tell ourselves about history and progress.