Fotoreproductie van een schilderij, voorstellende een portret van Girolamo Savonarola before 1888

This is a photoreproduction of a painting of Girolamo Savonarola, made by Fratelli Alinari. Savonarola was an Italian Dominican friar active in the 15th century, known for his clashes with secular authorities and the papacy. This image, probably made in the late 19th century, revives his image within the context of Italian unification and secularization. The visual codes point back to Renaissance portraiture, but the choice of Savonarola as a subject is interesting. He represents a complex figure, standing for religious reform but also known for his puritanical views and the infamous "Bonfire of the Vanities," where artworks were destroyed. This print seems to grapple with the legacy of religious authority in a changing Italy. Was he a prophet or a zealot? To understand this image better, we could look at histories of Italian nationalism, the role of the church in Italian politics, and the changing perception of the Renaissance in the 19th century. Art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.