Alphonse Du Plessis de Richelieu, cardinal de Lyon 1636

This engraving of Alphonse Du Plessis de Richelieu, Cardinal of Lyon, was created by Claude Mellan, around the 17th century. Mellan’s choice of subject is telling of the period's power dynamics, portraying a high-ranking member of the Catholic Church. Consider the weight of religious authority in 17th-century France, where the church was not only a spiritual guide but also a significant political player. Richelieu, as a cardinal, embodied this intersection of religious and political power. Mellan’s depiction is more than a portrait; it’s a statement about the power structures of the time. How does this image reinforce the Cardinal’s authority? Is it through the formal attire, the composed expression, or the very act of memorializing his image in print? Portraits like these offer insight into the identities and power dynamics of the era. They remind us that even in art, representation is a form of participation in the cultural and political landscape.