Garden of Palazzo Colonna 1775 - 1785

Giovanni Volpato made this watercolor and etching of the Garden of Palazzo Colonna, a prominent Roman noble family, at an unknown date. Volpato made a career out of selling prints to tourists visiting Italy, catering to the Grand Tour, an aristocratic rite of passage. The image presents the grounds of the Palazzo Colonna as a theatrical stage; figures populate the space and contribute to the sense of leisure and entertainment. There is a tension in the image: the cultivated perfection of the garden juxtaposed against the presence of working-class people. This idealized vision obscures the labor and social hierarchies inherent in maintaining such a space. By focusing on the aesthetic experience, the artist downplays the complex socio-economic realities that enable it. The work invites us to consider the historical context of aristocratic privilege and the ways in which images can both reflect and obscure social dynamics. The emotional allure of the scene prompts us to reflect on the power structures that shape our perceptions of beauty and leisure.