La piazzaforte di Gaeta. Un paesaggio militare nelle rappresentazioni grafiche. The fortress of Gaeta. Military landscape in graphical representations.

Through an analysis of some important representations of the coastal environment of the Gulf of Gaeta, in southern Lazio, the article seeks to focus attention on the various iconographic models that describe the ‘stronghold’ of Gaeta, with its Angevin-Aragonese castle, and the role it played as a constituent element of the landscape in the identification of the image of the city. The rich cartographic and iconographic production that over the centuries (in particular from XV to XIX) has characterized the description of the Lazio Caetano promontory, thanks also to its considerable strategic importance and the numerous historical events surrounding it, is reflected in a multiplicity of different types of representations. The copious iconographic repertoire contains first-rate artists, often proposing original viewpoints of the setting, accompanied by many minor artists who also outlined important details in their works. The research is currently collecting and classifying cartographic representations (printed and manuscripts) between the XVIII and the XIX century, Our intent is to select in the cartographic series the maps that are characterized by strong modifications. The period examined starts from the beginning of the Neapolitan Bourbon dynasty to its end. The end of this dynasty was caused by the siege of Gaeta by the Piedmont's troops. After this event was formed the Kingdom of Italy ruled by Savoia dynasty.