Palazzo Della Fraternita 1895

Giuseppe Barberis made this line block print depicting the Palazzo Della Fraternita, located in Arezzo. We see the facade of this building with a large clock tower. The Palazzo Della Fraternita represents the confraternity of Arezzo, a charitable institution that became prominent in the late medieval and early modern periods. These organizations arose from lay religious movements. They acquired extensive property and played a prominent role in urban life. By representing such an institution, Barberis calls attention to the social forces that shaped Italian history. Such institutions played an important role in mediating the relationship between the church, state, and ordinary people. The historian can deepen our understanding of such images by delving into archives and libraries. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.