En sal i Palazzo Borghese 1886

J.Th. Hansen made this watercolor painting of a hall in the Palazzo Borghese. The image provides a glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of the Roman aristocracy, but it also tells us about the hierarchies of 19th-century European art. The Borghese were a powerful family that produced popes, cardinals, and patrons of the arts. Their palazzo was a symbol of their wealth and status, filled with priceless antiquities and masterpieces. By Hansen depicting the Palazzo Borghese he is not only capturing its beauty, but also commenting on the social structures of his time. Hansen, a Danish artist, shows us the palace not as a lived-in space but rather as a formal display. The painting can be understood as a historical document, revealing the social conditions that shaped artistic production. Further research into the Borghese family and the history of their palazzo can help us to understand better the meaning of this artwork in its social and institutional context.