Façade van Palazzo Sora te Rome 1655

Giovanni Battista Falda created this print of the Palazzo Sora in Rome some time before 1678. Falda documented Roman palaces, churches, and gardens, and his prints helped spread architectural ideas across Europe. This facade presents a balanced, symmetrical design, reflecting the Renaissance revival of classical forms. These grand buildings were not just homes; they were stages on which powerful families performed their status. This image is a celebration of wealth and power, meant to impress and awe. Falda's print served as both documentation and promotion, reinforcing the social hierarchy. To fully understand this image, we delve into the history of the families who commissioned these buildings, the architects who designed them, and the social conditions that made such displays of wealth possible. By examining these prints, alongside other historical documents, we can better understand the complex interplay between art, power, and society in early modern Rome.