Cascata Del Bicchiere Nel Castello Dei Farnese 1894

Giuseppe Barberis made this print of the fountain in the Castello Farnese using wood engraving, a technique that translates an image into a matrix of fine lines. The result is not unlike the meticulous stone work that we see depicted in the fountain itself. The rockwork, the figurative sculptures, the formal architectural elements, and even the carefully trained plantings all speak to enormous inputs of labor, and no small amount of wealth. Consider the time required to quarry, carve, and position all those stones, to say nothing of the engineering required to make the fountain work. Even Barberis’s print required a great deal of artisanal skill; he would have needed to be both a trained artist and a highly skilled engraver. This image, therefore, offers a glimpse into a world defined by hierarchy, where artistic and craft practices were marshaled to create displays of power.