Self-Portrait Possibly 1762

This is a self-portrait etching by Alessandro Longhi, an 18th century Venetian painter. He shows himself within an ornate frame held up by female figures, announcing his presence as “Alexander Longhi, Pictor.” Longhi lived during a time of great social change in Venice, as the city's aristocratic families were losing power. He was the son of the more famous painter Pietro Longhi, and his artistic identity was thus deeply intertwined with his father's legacy. Alessandro chose to specialize in portraiture, which offered him a way to explore individual identity within the rigid social hierarchies of Venice. The choice of the etching technique is also interesting, as it allowed for a wider distribution of his image, challenging the traditional patronage system and allowing Longhi to assert his own agency as an artist. He seems to be asking: how do we represent ourselves, and how do we want to be seen?