Portret van anatoom Giovanni Battista Morgagni 1750 - 1803

This is Giovanni Volpato's print of anatomist Giovanni Battista Morgagni, made in Italy sometime in the late 18th century. Look at how Morgagni is carefully framed within an oval, set atop a pedestal. This isn't just a portrait; it's an exercise in elevating the status of science and the men who practiced it. The inscription tells us Morgagni was "first among doctors," and that he taught at the University of Padua, famous for its medical school. Padua was one of the first universities to conduct human dissections, a key component of anatomical research that was often fraught with controversy. As a teacher, Morgagni would have played a crucial role in shaping medical knowledge and practice. The imagery creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. This print is more than a likeness; it’s a statement about the growing importance of science and the institutions that supported it, something we can delve into through university archives and publications of the time.