Abstract

The essay explores the role of imagery in interpreting and shaping the past during the late 18th century in Italy, focusing on counter-revolutionary propaganda. The analysis of engraving and caricature production highlights how these traces were used to influence public opinion and legitimize the counter-revolution. Starting from emblematic figures such as Louis XVI and Pius VI, the research demonstrates how political iconography was employed to narrate and reinterpret historical events, creating an idealized image of the past and promoting a conservative vision of society. The aim of the essay is also to show how these dynamics are strongly linked to editorial contexts and the circulation of iconographic documents, emphasizing their impact on society at the time and their role in constructing historical memory.