Gezicht op het Palazzo Senatorio aan het Piazza del Campidoglio op het Capitool in Rome 1860 - 1885

Pietro Dovizielli made this photograph of the Palazzo Senatorio in Rome, Italy, in the mid-19th century. The image shows us the Piazza del Campidoglio, or Capitoline Hill, which has been the seat of Rome's municipal government since the Middle Ages. What is striking here is the way the photograph captures not just the architecture but also the social dynamics of the city. The grand staircase, designed by Michelangelo, leads up to the Palazzo, a symbol of civic authority. Yet, the figures in the foreground seem dwarfed by the scale of the buildings, suggesting a certain distance between the rulers and the ruled. Dovizielli's photograph, like many images of its time, served to document and celebrate the established order. Yet, as historians, we can also read these images against the grain, asking questions about power, social class, and the role of art in shaping our understanding of the world. Historical archives and other written records can help us in this work.