Portret van Gian Galeazzo Visconti after 1755

This is a print of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan, made by Michel Aubert in France, sometime in the first half of the 18th century. Although the image depicts a man who had died some three centuries before, portraits like this one were common during the Enlightenment. These images contributed to the creation of historical narratives and were very popular amongst the European aristocracy. This idealized image connects the sitter to the legacy of the Renaissance, an era of cultural and intellectual flourishing which emphasized civic virtue. This imagery would have resonated with aristocratic audiences who wished to associate themselves with the past glories of Europe, conferring legitimacy on their social status. Art historians rely on a range of documentary sources, such as letters, inventories, and institutional records, to reconstruct the cultural and political contexts which shaped this artwork. This reminds us that the meaning of art is always contingent on the specific social conditions in which it is made and received.