Aquaviva, Villa of Cardinal Montalto at Ständig 1681

Curator: This is "Aquaviva, Villa of Cardinal Montalto at Ständig" by Melchior Küsel. It’s a small etching, only about 10 by 11 centimeters. Editor: It feels like a stage! The villa sits back, a backdrop for the figures enacting some scene in the foreground. Curator: Indeed, the villa itself, owned by a Cardinal, was a stage for power, influence, and the display of wealth. The statues, the fountains… Editor: …and the carefully arranged groups of figures, all hint at a carefully cultivated symbolism of humanist values. Curator: The villa served as a symbol of Cardinal Montalto’s aspirations and his place within the social and political landscape of his time. Editor: It is as much about the performance of status as it is about the architecture itself. I find it all quite fascinating. Curator: The etching offers a glimpse into the world of patronage and the role art played in shaping perceptions of power.