Family at Rest 1788

Carlo Labruzzi made this print, Family at Rest, in Italy in the late 18th or early 19th century. It shows a group of people relaxing outdoors, a snapshot of everyday life. But look closer: what can this image tell us about the society of its time? The clothing suggests a mix of social classes, and the setting evokes the Roman Campagna, a rural area outside Rome. Labruzzi was known for his views of this landscape, catering to the era's fascination with the picturesque and the classical past. This print reflects the changing social landscape of Italy at the time. It was a period of upheaval, with Enlightenment ideas challenging the old social order, and the rise of a new middle class. Artists like Labruzzi played a role in shaping the visual culture of this era. Historians use prints like these to understand how people lived, what they valued, and how they saw themselves in a rapidly changing world.