Portret van kardinaal Nicolò Guidi di Bagno 1655 - 1661

This engraving of Cardinal Nicolò Guidi di Bagno was made in Rome in 1657 by Guillaume Vallet. In the seventeenth century, Rome was the administrative center of the Catholic Church, and the Catholic Church was among the most powerful and influential institutions in Europe. The visual codes in this print speak to the Cardinal's high social status and position within the Church. The coat of arms at the upper left and right of the image immediately identify the subject as a member of the aristocracy. The Cardinal's clothing indicates his position within the Catholic Church. Prints like this one were a means of circulating images of important figures throughout Europe. By studying who was represented in prints, who produced them, and who collected them, we can better understand the social and political networks of the period. Detailed archival research gives us a better understanding of this artwork’s role in society.