The Royal Villa called il Poggio Imperiale (La Real Villa detta il Poggio Imperiale), view of the facade and balustrade with statuary, from 'Views of the city and other places of Tuscany' (Vedute delle ville e d'altri luoghi della Toscana) 1744

Giuseppe Zocchi captured the Royal Villa called il Poggio Imperiale in this print, part of a series titled 'Views of the city and other places of Tuscany'. Zocchi, working in the 18th century, gives us more than just a depiction of architecture; he offers a window into the power dynamics of his time. Look closely and consider who is included—and excluded—from this idealized scene. The villa itself, with its imposing facade and statuary, symbolizes wealth and aristocratic privilege. The figures populating the landscape, rendered with careful detail, reinforce a hierarchy. We see members of the elite strolling leisurely, while others are presumably servants, their labor enabling this luxurious lifestyle. Zocchi's print invites us to reflect on the social stratification of 18th-century Tuscany. How did race, class, and gender intersect to shape the lives of those within and outside the villa walls? This work serves not only as a picturesque view but also as a historical document that prompts us to consider the complex interplay of power and representation.