Portret van kardinaal Prospero Marefoschi 1732 - 1762

Girolamo Rossi created this portrait of Cardinal Prospero Marefoschi as an engraving. Consider the power dynamics at play in this piece. As a clergyman within the Catholic Church, Marefoschi wielded considerable influence, a status Rossi acknowledges through the visual language of portraiture. Rossi, by immortalizing the Cardinal, participates in this distribution of power. Engravings like this one were a key form of disseminating images and ideas in the 18th century. How did these portraits function within the social and political landscape of the time? What role did they play in shaping perceptions of authority and piety? Here, Rossi not only depicts a man but also conveys the weight of the institution he represents. As you look at this portrait, think about the relationship between the individual and the systems of power they inhabit. Notice the detailed rendering of his garments and the subtle expression on his face.