Castello Delle Carpinete 1901

Giuseppe Barberis created this depiction of Castello Delle Carpinete in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, using an engraving technique to produce a detailed monochrome image. The artwork invites us to consider the role of the medieval castle, which is presented in a romanticized, picturesque manner. The image showcases the castle ruins perched atop a hill, surrounded by humble dwellings and a church, suggesting a close relationship between feudal power, the local community, and the church. It was made in Italy during a time when older social hierarchies were being renegotiated. Barberis probably hoped to draw on a shared cultural memory to evoke nostalgia for the past. The level of detail in the engraving also speaks to the rise of print media in the modern era, where images could be widely distributed and consumed by a growing public. To understand the image, we need to know something about the history of the castle, the social structure of the area, and the political context in which it was made. Historical archives, local histories, and studies of Italian art and culture are invaluable resources to explore the complex meanings embedded in this artwork.