The Molin Collection Between the Old and New Regime

Abstract

Starting from the cross-analysis of printed texts, manuscripts and works of art preserved in the city’s museums, the essay reflects on the impact that the political, social and cultural upheavals triggered by the fall of the Serenissima had on the taste of the conservative Venetian nobility. In particular, it examines the case of Girolamo Ascanio Molin (1736–1814), a politician, scholar and writer who, between the late 18th and early 19th century, built an extensive collection, whose physiognomy evolved according to the historical context, the frequentations of the senator, the opportunities provided by art markets and the self-representation strategies adopted by the patriciate in response to the New Regime.