Pietro Bachi (1787-1853) c. 1851 - 1853

Curator: This is Albert Gallatin Hoit's portrait of Pietro Bachi, painted in oil on canvas. It measures about 76 by 63 centimeters. Editor: The somberness strikes me first. The dark palette and Bachi's serious expression create a very formal, almost melancholic mood. Curator: It's interesting to consider the social context of portraiture at the time. These commissions often served to solidify a subject's position within a certain social hierarchy. Hoit was part of a flourishing trade of portraiture in America at the time. Editor: Absolutely. And what about Bachi himself? What role did he play in society that warranted such a portrait? Was it about documenting his social standing, or something more? Curator: Bachi was a scholar and linguist at Harvard, so the portrait also speaks to the academic circles of the period and highlights the value placed on intellectual pursuits. Editor: Looking at the materials and the way Hoit has worked with them, it seems he was skilled in his craft. Curator: Indeed, the choice of such a durable medium reinforces the enduring legacy such portraits aimed to secure. Editor: A fascinating glimpse into the past through paint, subject, and society. Curator: Precisely. A confluence of materials, labor, and social aspirations captured on canvas.