Livia da Porto Thiene and her Daughter Porzia 1552

Paolo Veronese painted Livia da Porto Thiene and her daughter Porzia during the High Renaissance in Venice. The image is more than just a mother and child portrait. The expensive and elaborate clothing speaks to the family's social standing. Veronese has used the visual language of the time, such as the fur trim, to portray them as wealthy and important. Note also the architectural background, which is likely their family palazzo. Veronese was working at a time when Venice was at the height of its power. Families like the Thiene were central to the city’s political and cultural life. Patrons of the arts, they helped shape the institutions that would define Venice for centuries. Art historical research uses many sources, including family records, inventories, and other documents to help us understand the painting's original context and its role in constructing the sitters’ identities for their contemporaries. By considering its place in social and institutional history, we can understand the painting as more than just a beautiful image.