Winged genius seated on a cloud, sounding a trumpet with his left hand extended upwards 1628 - 1700

This engraving of a winged genius was made by Cherubino Alberti, an artist working in Italy around 1600. It presents a classical allegory, the reward of virtue, as proclaimed by Fame. Images like this circulated widely in early modern Europe. Alberti was part of a network of artists and printmakers in Rome who shaped the visual culture of their time. The engraving's clean lines and idealized figure reflect the influence of classical sculpture, which experienced a rediscovery during the Renaissance. But this rediscovery occurred within a strictly hierarchical society in which the display of virtue served an important political purpose. In a competitive environment, artists and their patrons were keen to signal their own virtue and status through the codes of classical imagery. Close examination of this print and others like it, using archival sources, can help us to better understand the social role of art in the period.