Palazzo Pallavicino 1622

This is Nicolaes Ryckmans’ print of the Palazzo Pallavicino. Ryckmans made this print with etching around the early to mid 17th century. It represents a very particular moment in the history of architectural representation and the culture of Northern European engagement with Italian art. We see here the elevation of an Italian palazzo, a type of building that became the ideal for elites during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. This print and others like it served as models for patrons wishing to advertise their wealth by imitating this building type. The careful depiction of the façade's classical elements transmits architectural knowledge, making it available for study and imitation. This print circulated within a social world of architects, patrons, and print sellers. A study of these networks allows us to better understand the social conditions that shaped artistic production in 17th-century Europe.