Portret van schilder Marco Ricci 1724

This print of Marco Ricci, an Italian painter, was made by Giovanni Antonio Faldoni in Venice sometime around 1734. The elaborate wig, cravat, and flowing robe are visual signifiers of class and status at a time of growing social inequality in Europe. This image is not just a record of what someone looked like, it's a carefully constructed performance of elite identity. Ricci, as a painter, made a living by catering to the tastes of powerful institutions and individuals. Faldoni’s print serves as a kind of advertisement, an attempt to associate Ricci with elegance and sophistication, and so attract more customers. The inscription below the image reads ‘Marcus Ricci Bellunensis Pictor’ which translates to ‘Marco Ricci of Belluno, Painter.’ Ricci’s art celebrated elite society, and this portrait is an important visual document of that world. Looking at such prints today we can ask ourselves: what did it mean to be a successful artist in 18th century Venice? A good place to start answering that question is by exploring the archives of the Venetian Academy of Art.