Portret van Henri de Beringhen 1660 - 1699

Jean Louis Roullet made this print of Henri de Beringhen in France in the late 17th century. It speaks to the social codes of the time. Consider the armor, the flowing wig, and the baton—symbols of military prowess and aristocratic status. Beringhen was not just anyone; he was the King’s First Squire, a position of considerable power and influence at the French court. The imagery isn’t accidental, it's carefully constructed to convey his status and authority. But it's not enough to simply identify these symbols, we need to understand their historical context. Who was Beringhen? What was the role of the court in 17th-century France? By consulting historical records, letters, and other documents, we can begin to reconstruct the world in which this image was created and consumed. Art is never created in a vacuum; it reflects and shapes the society in which it is made.