Portret van dichter Giovanni Battista Casti in een landschap 19th century

P.V. Lavaggi made this print of Giovanni Battista Casti at an unknown date using an engraving. Casti was an Italian poet and satirist known for his wit and critiques of social and political norms, who served as the official poet of the Austrian court in Vienna. In this image, Casti is sitting in what looks like nature. But how "natural" is this landscape? The inclusion of classical ruins suggests the influence of institutions on even supposedly unspoiled scenes, reminding viewers of the classical canon that shaped Casti's own work. Italy's artistic institutions and patronage systems played a crucial role in shaping Casti's career, providing him with opportunities and platforms to express his views. To understand this print more fully, it would be useful to delve into archival sources, literary criticism, and social histories of the period. It's through this work that art historians can deepen our understanding of the print's meaning as a historical artifact.