View of the Villa Borghese 1677 - 1691

This engraving by Simon Felice shows the Villa Borghese and its gardens in Rome. It's part of a series commissioned to showcase the Borghese family's wealth and influence. Look closely and you'll see how the image creates meaning through its visual codes. The perfectly manicured gardens, the grand villa, and the endless rows of trees all speak to the Borghese's power. Made in the 17th century, this image reflects the values of a society deeply divided by class. The Borghese family, close to the papacy, used art and architecture to project their status. This wasn't just about personal enjoyment; it was about reinforcing a social hierarchy. The very act of commissioning such a print served to broadcast their dominance. To truly understand this image, we can look at the history of the Borghese family, their relationship with the Catholic Church, and the economic structures that allowed them to amass such wealth. Art is never created in a vacuum; it's a product of its time, shaped by social, political, and economic forces.