Signore Sebastiano Conca, Pittore Napoletano (Signore Sebastiano Conca, Neapolitan Painter) 1734 - 1755

Pier Leone Ghezzi made this print of Signore Sebastiano Conca, a Neapolitan painter, using etching, sometime in the first half of the 18th century. Ghezzi was known for his caricatures of prominent people, and this image offers a glimpse into the social world of artists in Rome during that time. While Conca was a well-respected painter, Ghezzi's image pokes fun at him, exaggerating his features and presenting him in a slightly comical light. But this was a common social practice and shouldn't be viewed negatively. The print provides a window into the competitive art scene of the period, where artists sought recognition and patronage. Images like this one helped to circulate ideas about artistic identity and status. Further research into the patronage networks and artistic academies of 18th-century Rome would give us more insight into the social dynamics represented here. It reminds us that art is always embedded in a specific social and institutional context.