Portret van de diplomaat Louis-Philippe de Ségur 1820

Julien-Léopold Boilly made this print of the diplomat Louis-Philippe de Ségur using engraving techniques. Its cultural context lies within the institutional structures of early 19th-century France. The print presents Ségur with a sense of established authority, and the image works within a specific visual language of power. The title "Le Comte de Ségur," along with the mention of his membership in the Académie Française and his title as "Pair de France," signals his elite status within French society. The inclusion of these details serves to reinforce the social hierarchy. The "Institut Royal de France" mentioned above his name is crucial; the institutions of science and art became powerful definers of social status. This image reflects a moment of institutional consolidation after the revolutionary period. Understanding this print involves delving into the history of French institutions and the social conditions of post-revolutionary France. What role did the institutions of art serve in the new social order?