Spaanse Trappen en de Fontana della Barcaccia aan het Piazza di Spagna te Rome, Italië 1851 - 1900

This photograph captures the Spanish Steps and the Fontana della Barcaccia in the Piazza di Spagna in Rome. Although the photographer is unknown and undated, the image presents the enduring allure of Rome as a site of European cultural exchange and aristocratic tourism. The Spanish Steps were built in the 18th century to link the Spanish Embassy to the Trinità dei Monti church above, physically embodying diplomatic and religious power. In the foreground, the Fontana della Barcaccia, sculpted by Pietro Bernini and his son Gian Lorenzo, adds a layer of artistic prestige and historical depth. Notice the figures populating the scene; they remind us that public spaces like this exist as much for leisurely encounters as they do for civic representation. By examining city plans, travelers’ accounts, and histories of urban development, we can begin to interpret how this meticulously designed space has been used to construct the social and cultural identity of the city. As art historians, we recognize that the meaning of such a place is always shaped by the social and institutional contexts in which it exists.