Gezicht op Castel Gandolfo 1847 - 1855

Julius Schlegel made this pencil drawing of Gezicht op Castel Gandolfo. The town of Castel Gandolfo is situated on the Alban Hills overlooking Lake Albano. The drawing may seem to simply represent the geographical features of the town. But what can it tell us about the social and cultural history of the area? Castel Gandolfo has been the summer residence of the Pope since the 17th century. Looking closely, the dominant building in this vista is the Papal Palace with its distinctive dome: the very embodiment of political power. By focusing on this feature, Schlegel invites us to consider the relationship between the institution of the Papacy and the landscape. Art historians draw upon historical sources such as letters, diaries, newspapers, and other documents, to shed light on the world in which art is made, revealing the social conditions of artistic production.