Waterworks and Fountains in the Garden of Cardinal Aldobrandini at Frascati 1681

Curator: Looking at this print, there's a sense of playful chaos – like children caught in a sudden downpour, but orchestrated. Editor: Yes, it is Melchior Küsel’s rendering of “Waterworks and Fountains in the Garden of Cardinal Aldobrandini at Frascati," held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Think of the performance of power inherent in these elaborate displays for the elite. Curator: Absolutely. Water was power. Fountains were not just decorative, but signaled control over resources and landscape. The Cardinal's garden becomes a stage for demonstrating social and economic dominance, no? Editor: Indeed. It's a carefully constructed fantasy, promoting a particular vision of wealth and status. Curator: The bodies scrambling seem unaware of the ideological theatre unfolding. It makes one wonder about their agency, even their consent, within this carefully curated space. Editor: Food for thought, absolutely, and perhaps a point worth pondering.