Façade van Palazzo Borghese te Rome 1655

Giovanni Battista Falda created this print of the Palazzo Borghese in Rome using etching techniques. The lines are meticulously incised into a metal plate, likely copper, which would then be inked and printed. What's fascinating here is the contrast between the subject and the process. The Palazzo represents the height of aristocratic power and wealth, made possible by the labor of countless artisans and workers who quarried the stone, carved the ornamentation, and constructed the building. Falda's print reduces this grand architectural statement to a series of delicate lines, a more democratic medium capable of wider distribution. The printmaking process itself also involved skilled labor, demanding precision and technical expertise. This emphasizes a tension: while celebrating the opulence of the Borghese family, the artwork is inherently tied to the world of craft and production. Falda's work bridges the gap between fine art and the realities of material creation.