Plate 3 depicting the trades of Rome, here including vendors of flowers, chairs, basil etc, from the 'Descrición de las artes que se llaman para los calles de la ciudad de Roma'

Art Historical Context

This engraving captures the lively street life of 18th-century Rome through Plate 3 of the series *Descrición de las artes que se llaman para los calles de la ciudad de Roma*. Created by Giovanni Ambrogio Brambilla and published by the Remondini firm, it portrays vendors offering flowers, chairs, basil, and other everyday goods. Such prints documented the diverse trades that animated Rome’s piazzas, offering viewers a glimpse into the city’s vibrant economy and social rhythms during the late Enlightenment period. The work exemplifies the popular medium of engraving with hand coloring, a technique that allowed detailed scenes to be reproduced affordably while adding vibrant touches of color by hand. Measuring just under ten inches in height, the double-plate format efficiently presents multiple vignettes, reflecting the era’s growing interest in ethnographic and occupational imagery. These affordable prints circulated widely across Europe, serving both as souvenirs for travelers and as educational tools for those curious about foreign customs. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2022, this sheet preserves a fascinating record of Rome’s street commerce and the artistic networks that spread such images far beyond Italy’s borders.