Fontein op Piazza Scossacavalli te Rome 1653 - 1691

Giovanni Battista Falda made this print of the fountain on Piazza Scossacavalli in Rome, sometime in the second half of the 17th century. The printmaking process involves skilled labor, transferring an image onto a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. Notice how Falda has used line and tone to capture the monumentality of the fountain and the surrounding architecture. The deliberate marks suggest not just the objects depicted but their material essence too: the heavy stone, the endless flow of water. It gives us an idea of how the fountain would have been experienced in its social context, as a gathering place. Printmaking in this period was closely tied to the circulation of knowledge and the promotion of civic pride. Falda’s print invites us to consider the fountain not just as an aesthetic object, but also as a symbol of Roman power and engineering prowess. It underscores how the skilled labor of both the fountain's construction and the printmaking process contribute to its cultural significance.