Giovanni della Casa c. 19th century

Editor: So, this is Giovanni della Casa, a portrait by Giovanni Battista Leonetti. The print gives the subject a sort of solemn, wise quality. What strikes you about this portrait? Curator: I see a figure consciously constructed within the norms of its time, yet possibly subtly challenging them. The long beard and hat can be interpreted as a conscious choice to associate with a certain image of learnedness and authority, but how might class and religious differences have shaped and been shaped by such self-presentation? Editor: Interesting! So you're saying it's not just a portrait, but a statement? Curator: Precisely! The power dynamics inherent in representation, particularly how marginalized identities are, or are not, given a voice, are what I see as central. What do you take away from that lens? Editor: I never thought about portraits as being political before. It gives me a lot to consider.