Plattegrond van de tuin bij het paleis van de hertog van Parma op de Palatijn te Rome before 1683

Giovanni Battista Falda created this print of the garden at the Palace of the Duke of Parma on the Palatine Hill in Rome. This detailed plan gives us a bird's-eye view into the design and use of elite spaces in 17th-century Italy. We can see formal parterres, groves, fountains, and terraces, all carefully arranged to impress visitors and reflect the Duke's power and status. The gardens aren't just places of beauty, they're extensions of the palace, spaces where politics and social maneuvering play out. Falda's print invites us to consider how landscapes are shaped by and contribute to the social order. His detailed plan emphasizes control over nature and acts as a status symbol, reminding us of the vast resources required to create and maintain such a space. To really understand this image, we'd want to delve into the history of garden design, the social hierarchies of the Italian nobility, and the role of art in shaping perceptions of power.