Sculptuur van Aeneas en Anchises c. 1880 - 1895

This is a photograph by Fratelli Alinari of a sculpture depicting Aeneas and his father Anchises, likely made sometime in the late 19th century in Italy. The photograph, now in the Rijksmuseum, captures a moment laden with cultural and historical significance: Aeneas, son of Venus, carries his elderly father Anchises out of burning Troy, also holding his son Ascanius' hand. The image is a powerful emblem of filial duty, evoking the values of family and piety central to Roman society and, by extension, Italian society during the Risorgimento. This period saw a surge in nationalistic sentiment and a renewed interest in classical antiquity as a source of cultural identity and pride. Photographs like this one, commissioned and collected by museums, served an important role in disseminating artistic knowledge and reinforcing cultural values to the bourgeois public. The photograph itself, with its sharp tonal contrasts and careful staging, is a testament to the Alinari brothers’ technical skill and their understanding of the medium's power to elevate and idealize its subject. To fully appreciate this image, explore the cultural context of 19th-century Italy, the history of photography, and the rise of art institutions.