Il Chiostro 1899

Giuseppe Barberis made this print titled, "Il Chiostro", sometime between 1860 and 1917. The image portrays a cloistered courtyard, a space of quiet contemplation, yet the stark lines of the printmaking process render it a potentially cold and alienating space. Consider the social function of the Catholic church in Italy at this time. Did its buildings offer solace to the poor or simply remind them of their place in society? The young girl carrying a heavy load in the foreground suggests the latter. We may wonder whether the religious imagery is one of hope or a symbol of oppression. We can examine how the church supported social hierarchies and perpetuated economic inequalities by researching the social history of the period. It may seem far from art history, but such research enables us to understand how artistic images participate in the social and political dialogues of their time.