"Volti di mercanti" - exibition

The exhibition “Kaufmannsgesichter” is based on an excerpt from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s diary about his journey to Italy. The poet arrived in Bolzano in September 1786, at a time when one of the four major international fairs was taking place. The lively bustle of the city and the faces of the merchants—radiating prosperity and self-confidence—made a strong impression on him.

The exhibition presents the portraits of merchants who, at the turn of the 18th to the 19th century, played a decisive role in Bolzano’s development into a wealthy trading city and who were personally involved in the activities of the Mercantile Magistrate. The works, on loan from public institutions and private collectors, depict men in authoritative poses, holding correspondence, account books, or professional objects. They are often accompanied by portraits of their wives, who belonged to the new merchant aristocracy and who, through their dowries, wealth, and prestigious residences, significantly contributed to the rise of their family businesses. Several objects connected to acts of patronage, donated by the merchants on special occasions, are also presented.

Most of these portraits—created by notable artists of the period such as Carl Henrici, Martin Knoller, Giuseppe Tominz, and Friedrich Wasmann—originally hung in the private homes of the commissioners or in their business premises and offices. They are unique original works that bear witness to the golden age of Bolzano as a trading city and to the development of its local society.

Curator: Helmut Rizzolli
Exhibition management and coordination: Elisabetta Carnielli
Exhibition design and graphics: Roberto Festi