Il Senat.re E. March.se Giovanni Gerini Patrizio Fiorentino. Portrait. 1767 - 1776

Editor: Here we have "Il Senat.re E. March.se Giovanni Gerini Patrizio Fiorentino. Portrait," created between 1767 and 1776 by Saverio Manetti. It's an engraving. I find it quite striking how much detail the artist was able to achieve. What aspects of this portrait stand out to you? Curator: The means of production is key here. Look closely at the engraved lines. Consider the labor involved in producing this print, likely destined for mass consumption among a certain class. Think about what printmaking afforded society at this time. Editor: So you are focusing on the social role of this artwork. I see what you mean. It's a portrait of an important person who could disseminate this image to portray himself in a particular light, but it wasn't unique in the same way a painting is, making it almost like a publicity image of the day? Curator: Exactly! The materials and techniques used directly relate to the subject’s status and the intended audience. What statement is made through reproducing it and who had access to those statements and why? Consider how the availability of such images shaped the consumption of aristocratic identity. What is real versus produced, here? Editor: That’s fascinating. It's really made me think about the material process of printmaking in a totally new light, linking labor to the work and its broader social implications. Curator: And considering the materials in relation to labor can transform how we understand not only artistic expression, but social constructs, too. Editor: I’ll definitely look at art with more emphasis on production methods now. Thanks.