Portrait of a Venetian Family with a Manservant Serving Coffee, Pietro Longhi, c. 1752
In his paintings, Longhi usually poked gentle fun at the everyday activities of the Venetian elite. This is not, however, the case here. It is simply a portrait of a family drinking coffee, with the lady of the house taking centre stage. The conspicuous inclusion of the servant is noteworthy. He must have been a valued member of the household.