Portret van senator Marietto 1729 - 1759

Carlo Gregori created this portrait of Senator Marietto, likely around 1741, using etching techniques. The senator’s identity is telegraphed through the trappings of power: his powdered wig, the fine fabric of his coat, and the heraldry beneath his image. Yet, what does it mean to examine a portrait like this today? Marietto existed within a highly structured society, and the portrait flattens the nuances of that existence into a symbol of authority. Gregori’s choices, from the senator’s pose to the details of his attire, serve to reinforce established hierarchies. Consider the implications of immortalizing such figures through art. Does it celebrate their achievements, or does it perpetuate systems of inequality? Perhaps it does both, becoming a complex artifact that invites us to reflect on the power, privilege, and representation.