Heroes of modern Italy c. 1856 - 1861

This is an anonymous chromolithograph titled "Heroes of Modern Italy." It depicts three Italian figures from the 19th century Risorgimento, the movement for Italian unification. Visually, the image draws on earlier traditions of religious iconography, framing the men like saints in a devotional image. This was produced during a period of intense nationalism across Europe. Visual propaganda like this reinforced a shared national identity and promoted unity. The chromolithography process allowed for mass production and distribution of such imagery. This had a big impact on the politics of imagery. Cheap prints played an important role in shaping public opinion and creating a shared sense of national identity. To better understand this image, we can look at the broader history of Italian unification and the ways that images contributed to the making of a modern nation-state. This kind of social and institutional context can help us understand how art reflects and shapes history.