Palazzo Salviati in Rome, section (recto) Palazzo Salviati in Rome, details (verso) 1500 - 1560

This is an architectural drawing of the Palazzo Salviati in Rome, rendered in pen and brown ink by an anonymous artist. The absence of a known author invites us to reflect on the role of anonymity in art history, and the frequent erasure of labor that goes into realizing grand designs like this palazzo. The drawing presents a cross-section view, a revealing peek into the building's structure, its many rooms stacked one atop another. Light filters into each space, creating a silent narrative of life within. The Palazzo Salviati was owned by a prominent family in Rome; knowing that this domestic space was inhabited by people with power, how does that affect your experience of viewing this drawing? Imagine the experiences, both privileged and restricted, of those who lived and worked here. Consider the intersections of class, power, and space that this architectural drawing subtly reveals.