View of the Vatican Belvedere 1741 - 1748

Giovanni Battista Piranesi made this print of the Vatican Belvedere. It gives us a bird’s eye view of the gardens in the heart of Catholic power in Rome. Piranesi was active in Rome in the 18th century when the city became a destination for wealthy Europeans on the Grand Tour. As an engraver, printmaker, architect, and antiquarian, Piranesi catered to this new form of cultural tourism. His prints of Roman monuments, like this one, became popular souvenirs of Italy. But they also give us insight into the social and political role of art in that period. Here, Piranesi presents the Vatican not as a religious center, but as a space of leisure and display, open to a privileged public. To understand the significance of this image we have to consider the economic structures that supported the Grand Tour, as well as the marketing strategies of artists and institutions. Research into these areas can reveal the complex social dynamics that shaped the art world in 18th-century Rome.