Titelblad: Chaires de Predicateurs 1659

Editor: We're looking at "Titelblad: Chaires de Predicateurs," a 1659 engraving by Jean Lepautre, housed at the Rijksmuseum. I’m immediately struck by the elaborate detail and the way the architecture seems to frame the preacher as a spectacle. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It's a fascinating piece that speaks volumes about the performance of power in the 17th century. Notice how the composition stages the preacher, placing him within an architectural framework that mirrors theatrical staging. What does this suggest about the role of sermons and religious figures in the public sphere at this time? Editor: It seems like it elevates the preacher almost to the level of royalty, with those figures watching from what looks like boxes at the theatre. Curator: Precisely! Lepautre, as a designer and engraver, was deeply involved in creating imagery for the French court. Consider the broader context: the rise of absolutism, the increasing importance of spectacle in royal display and the attempt to orchestrate public opinion through controlled imagery. What kind of socio-political work might an image like this have performed? Editor: It feels like a visual endorsement of authority – both religious and, perhaps, by extension, royal authority. The people are literally looking up to this figure. Curator: Exactly. And remember that prints like this weren’t just passive images; they circulated, reproduced, and disseminated these ideas widely. Do you think this context changes how we view the image today? Editor: Absolutely. Seeing it as a form of propaganda, almost, makes me look closer at who is being represented and what kind of message they’re trying to convey. Curator: Understanding the image’s historical and social role allows us to move beyond simple aesthetic appreciation. We can appreciate the engraving not just as a decorative work, but as a critical piece of social and political communication.