Portret van Annibale Marchese met allegorie 1716 - 1761

Jeremias Jakob Sedelmayr created this print, "Portret van Annibale Marchese met allegorie," in Vienna. This allegorical portrait provides a window into the world of 18th-century European aristocracy and its self-fashioned image. The print is laden with symbols and references to classical antiquity. Justice stands to the left of the portrait, alluding to the values and virtues associated with leadership and power. Annibale Marchese, a Duke, is presented as a figure of cultivated refinement, surrounded by symbols of the arts and learning. This carefully constructed image speaks to the importance of lineage and the performance of identity among the European elite. Yet, we might ask, what is omitted? Whose stories are not told? The print offers a selective view of history, one that highlights the achievements and ideals of the ruling class while obscuring other narratives. What emotional weight might be attached to the realities of those excluded from this vision of grandeur? In this context, the print serves as a reminder of art's capacity both to reflect and shape societal values. It prompts us to consider the complex relationship between identity, representation, and power, encouraging a deeper understanding of whose stories are told and whose are left in the shadows.