Portret van Jacques Laffitte c. 1829 - 1840

This is Ferdinand Bahmann’s portrait of Jacques Laffitte. It is difficult to date precisely. It was likely made sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Laffitte was a banker and liberal member of the French Chamber of Deputies. He was a key financial supporter of the July Revolution of 1830 that replaced Charles X with the “citizen king” Louis-Philippe. Laffitte represented a rising class of financial elites whose interests were not necessarily aligned with the old aristocracy. The portrait makes Laffitte look like a respectable member of this new elite. To understand this image better, it would be helpful to know how it was circulated. Was it printed in newspapers, displayed in public places, or only distributed among Laffitte’s allies? We need to examine this artwork in relation to the political struggles of its time. Historical interpretation can shed light on the social conditions that give meaning to this image.