Portret van André Lortie 1681

Paul van Somer II created this print of André Lortie, a minister of the reformed church in La Rochelle, likely around 1681. Lortie’s stern gaze conveys the weight of religious and political turmoil of his time. The portrait captures Lortie amidst the backdrop of the Protestant Reformation and subsequent religious conflicts in France. As a Huguenot minister, Lortie faced persecution, leading to his eventual exile in London. This print serves as a record and quiet act of resistance, immortalizing a figure displaced by intolerance. Lortie’s attire and the book he holds symbolize his devotion to faith and scripture amidst adversity. Van Somer, likely working in London, catered to a market of displaced religious figures, creating images that served as both personal mementos and affirmations of identity in a new land. This image encapsulates the intersection of religious identity, displacement, and the enduring power of faith in the face of persecution.