Merchants and their evolution

The exhibition ‘Mercanti si diventa’ was created with the intention of investigating the figure of the merchant, the protagonist and soul of the city of Bozen from the earliest times, and his evolution from a ‘simple’ shopkeeper to a full-fledged fair merchant. On a local level, this qualitative leap took place between the 17th and 18th centuries, thanks to the spread of innovative trade manuals, the growing importance of Bolzano’s fairs, and the role of the Mercantile Magistrate.

The exhibition, which was realised thanks to loans from institutions, public archives and private collectors, aims to revive the intense commercial activity that characterised Bolzano’s fairs in their heyday.

The exhibition includes a reconstruction of the studio of an enterprising merchant. The maps, paintings and guild insignia on display emphasise how important transport activities were for international trade. On display are some valuable manuscripts from the Menz Archive, which give an insight into the complex structure that underpinned the organisation of a market, and some rare printed books, veritable encyclopaedias ‘of trade’. The exhibition ends with an inlaid panel by Alois Delug, an unfinished work from the early 20th century and exhibited for the first time at the Mercantile Museum. It ideally sums up those atmospheres, giving us a snapshot of the past of Bolzano, a city of fairs and markets.