Settlement on a Hill c. 1520

Domenico Campagnola created this pen and brown ink drawing, "Settlement on a Hill," in the 16th century. The landscape tradition in art was gaining traction in the 1500s as artists began to explore themes of nature and humanity's place within it. Campagnola’s drawing presents a romanticized, and perhaps idealized view of rural life, with a focus on the settlement nestled harmoniously on the hill. But let’s think about the context of 16th-century Italy. What kind of labor was performed to create this settlement? Who had access to this idyll, and who was excluded? The drawing prompts us to consider the relationship between the built environment and the natural world. In whose image and for whose benefit was this settlement designed? It invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in land ownership and the ways in which these structures shape our understanding of community and belonging.