Portret van de jurist en politicus Pellegrino Rossi c. 1843

Zéphirin Belliard made this print of Pellegrino Rossi using lithography, a newly democratized printmaking technique in which an image is drawn on stone. Rossi was a lawyer and politician who lived in Switzerland and France. This print creates meaning through its visual codes of class and status. In a society undergoing social change, there was a growing market for images of public figures like Rossi. The growth of the print market allowed artists to earn a living outside of the traditional patronage system of church or state. This image would have been produced for a mass audience in France, the printing capital of Europe. For historians, prints like this one are invaluable resources. They offer insights into the social and political life of the time. By studying the production, distribution, and reception of these images, we can better understand the complex relationship between art and society.