Straat van de San Marco naar de Il Gesù te Rome 1665

This engraving by Giovanni Battista Falda, made in Rome around 1670, depicts the street from San Marco to the Il Gesù church. Falda was known for his detailed and accurate depictions of Roman architecture and urban spaces. This print offers insights into the urban planning and social life of Rome during the Baroque period. The image captures the grandeur of the city, emphasizing the imposing architecture and the wide, straight streets that were characteristic of urban development at the time. It reflects the power and influence of the Catholic Church, with prominent religious buildings dominating the cityscape. The street is populated with figures going about their daily lives, providing a glimpse into the social dynamics of the city. To understand Falda’s work more fully, one can delve into the archival records of the buildings, urban planning initiatives, and social customs of seventeenth-century Rome. Art history teaches us that artworks reflect and shape the societies from which they emerge.