Frederick Maurice de la Tour, duc de Bouillon 1649

Editor: This is Robert Nanteuil’s portrait of Frederick Maurice de la Tour, duc de Bouillon. It's an engraving, and he’s wearing armor. It feels like a very formal and powerful image. What can you tell me about this portrait? Curator: Nanteuil's portrait speaks to the constructed nature of identity, doesn't it? The armor, the title inscribed below, all work to project a certain image of power. But what about the man beneath? How might societal expectations and political pressures have shaped his lived experience and self-perception? Editor: So, the image is performing power, but perhaps obscuring the actual person? Curator: Precisely. And consider the broader context: the role of portraiture in solidifying social hierarchies, the limited agency afforded to individuals within those structures, and how those limitations intersect with race and gender. Editor: I never thought about portraits in that way before! Curator: These images are more than just records. They are active participants in the social and political landscape.