The `New World' 

Pietro Longhi painted "The New World" using oil paints, a traditional medium through which he offered a window into Venetian society. Longhi masterfully uses the oil paints to capture the textures and fabrics of the garments, from the lustrous silk of the gentleman's coat to the soft fur muff of the lady. Note the masks that are used by some of the characters: they are not merely props, but symbols of Venice itself. Masks are used to obscure social status, acting as a social leveler during Carnival. The artist’s meticulous brushwork and attention to detail allows viewers to look beyond the veneer of the Venetian elite and recognize the theatrics of social display. In doing so, Longhi invites us to consider the labor of artistic production itself. The very act of painting mirrors the construction of social identity, underscoring the artifice inherent in both. He challenges us to consider the broader social forces shaping both the artist and the society he portrays.