Fontana di Belvedere á Frascati (...), from 'La Fontane di Roma nelle Piazze e Luoghi Publici (...)', part 2, 'Le fontane delle ville di Frascati' (plate 5) 1691

Giovanni Battista Falda created this print of the Fontana di Belvedere in Frascati, Italy, as part of a series documenting Roman fountains. It captures not just the fountain's design but its role as a social space. The image creates meaning through visual codes tied to power and status. The fountain itself, with its elaborate sculptures and commanding presence, symbolizes wealth and control over resources, like water. The figures strolling around the fountain are clearly members of the elite, their clothing and leisurely activity signaling their privileged position in society. The print, made in the late 17th century, reflects the values of a society where the aristocracy used art and architecture to display its dominance. Institutions like the church and the noble families were key patrons. To understand this work better, we can consult period documents describing the construction of such fountains, or social histories of the Roman aristocracy. Through these resources, we see art as deeply embedded in the social and institutional structures of its time.