Blick von der Terrasse des Giardino Boboli auf Florenz 1825

Ernst Fries created this pencil drawing entitled 'View from the Terrace of the Giardino Boboli on Florence' in the early 19th century. At this time, Florence was attracting artists as part of the Grand Tour, a cultural phenomenon that helped to shape European identity and artistic taste. The Giardino Boboli, from which this view is taken, was originally designed for the Medici family, who shaped Florence during the Renaissance, and this landscape demonstrates their wealth and power through the architectural wonders in the distance. Fries was working in a time of political upheaval, as the Enlightenment ideals about the rights of man had led to the French Revolution, and were now spreading through Europe via Napoleon's armies. Although Florence was no longer ruled by the Medici family when Fries sketched this view, the drawing suggests a more stable image of the city. Art historical analysis and archival research help us to understand how Fries negotiated his own context and expressed his sense of place.