Piazza Sordello te Mantua 1810 - 1845

Giacinto Maina’s print captures the Piazza Sordello in Mantua, a space laden with history and power. The architecture speaks of centuries of aristocratic rule, the church looming large, a testament to religious authority. Look closely and you’ll notice the figures populating the scene. They’re segregated by class, their clothing marking their status. The leisurely stroll of the wealthy contrasts sharply with the barely visible working class, reminding us of the rigid social hierarchy that defined life in Mantua. The woman and children placed in the lower right of the frame represent the family as a cornerstone of society. This print isn’t just a depiction of a place; it’s a mirror reflecting the values and structures of its time. What do we make of Maina's careful depiction of the class structures that permeated the space he inhabited? The artist invites us to consider the stories embedded in the stones and the people who moved through them.