[blm]

For the most part the article was interesting. However one thing stood out to me:

To the audience of the time, the paintings carried a clear message: Mastering finance was an achievement requiring both skill and humility.

I don't know about humility. I mean having someone paint a portrait of you seems like hubris. Ensuring that the painting shows you wearing gold rings does not seem to indicate humility (modesty, humbleness).

Maybe the chosen painting is not necessary of painting from the period and the others indicated humility.