Portret van Joachim de Seiglière de Boisfrant 1660 - 1700

Antoine Masson’s portrait of Joachim de Seiglière de Boisfrant, made with etching and engraving, encapsulates the visual codes of power in 17th-century France. The elaborate wig, the ornate fabric of the clothing, and the Latin inscription encircling the portrait: these were all markers of status and authority under the reign of Louis XIV. Masson was a master of printmaking, and his skill in rendering textures and details contributed to the overall impression of wealth and refinement. This image would have circulated among an elite audience, reinforcing social hierarchies. The portrait also speaks to the institutional role of art in creating and maintaining status. By studying period documents, we can learn more about the social conditions that shaped its production and reception. Art history, in this sense, becomes a means of understanding the complex interplay between power, representation, and social identity.