Façade van het paleis van kardinaal Flavio Chigi after 1655

Giovanni Battista Falda created this print of the façade of the Palazzo Chigi, using etching, in the 17th century. Falda meticulously details the architectural design, a display of power and status intended to impress and awe. Consider for a moment the role of Cardinal Flavio Chigi, whose name the palace bears. A member of the Roman aristocracy, appointed Cardinal by his uncle Pope Alexander VII, Chigi was a key figure in the social and political landscape of his time. The palace, therefore, is not just a building, but a statement of dynastic power, designed to reflect the Chigi family's influence and authority. Falda's print gives us insight into the world of 17th-century Rome, where power was expressed through art and architecture, and where every detail was carefully calculated to project an image of grandeur and control. It invites us to reflect on the relationship between art, power, and identity.