Portret van Correggio 1754

Pieter Tanjé made this print of Correggio after a painting from the Royal Gallery in Dresden. Tanjé was working at a time when the institutions of art were becoming more prominent. This print allows us to think about the role of galleries and museums in shaping artistic reputations. Note the inscriptions in Italian and French, languages associated with a cosmopolitan art world. In this period, the ability to reproduce and distribute images became central to the art market. Printmakers occupied an important place in a network of artists, dealers, and collectors. The Dresden gallery played a key role in establishing a canon of great artists. Tanjé's print demonstrates how the reputations of old masters like Correggio were maintained and amplified through institutional display and reproduction. By studying archives and collections, we can understand the social and institutional forces that shape what we value as art.