Giacomo Marcucci

In the course of the seventeenth century, the phenomenon of the tourist traveler arises in Rome. Published in 1628, three years after the second Jubilee of the 17th century, this guidebook clearly targets an international audience. It is written in four languages: Italian and French for the main descriptions of the sites, and Latin and German, which accompany the illustrations for each entry. The international flavor of this text is emphasized by a portrait identified as Giovanni Alto (1577-1660) between the frontispiece and the dedication page. While serving as a Swiss guard for the Pope, Giovanni Alto worked as a cicerone (tour guide) for many foreign visitors, mainly German and French aristocrats. Alto’s portrait appears to be after an engraving by Francesco Villamena (1566-1624), an artist recorded at one of the Accademia’s meetings in 1593.

Complete digitized book: IIIF Digital View (National Gallery of Art Library, Special Collections)