Gezicht op een stadspoort van Tivoli 1654

Israel Silvestre created this print of a city gate of Tivoli sometime between 1640 and 1691. As we look at this scene, let’s think about the dynamics of power and representation that were at play during this period. Silvestre, as a privileged artist, had the ability to travel and document landscapes and architecture, therefore, he was part of a tradition that often exoticized and romanticized foreign places for a European audience. How did his position influence what he chose to depict and how he depicted it? Consider what this image tells us, and what it doesn't. Who is included in the frame, and who is excluded? How might the experience of those living within the walls of Tivoli differ from Silvestre's fleeting perspective as an outsider? Perhaps this image can invite us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in the act of representation.