Portret van Guillaume-Thomas François Raynal 1785

Johann Elias Haid engraved this portrait of Guillaume-Thomas François Raynal around 1785. The most striking element is the circular frame, a motif that echoes back to ancient Roman portraiture, where busts of emperors were similarly enshrined. This circular form isn’t merely decorative. Think of the 'tondo' in Renaissance art, often used for domestic scenes of the Holy Family. By framing Raynal within this shape, Haid elevates his sitter, a mere writer, to a figure of cultural significance. We see this echoed later in photography, where the vignette softens the edges and directs focus. The circle itself has ancient, even primal, associations. It's the sun, the moon, a symbol of wholeness and eternity, recurring across cultures from mandalas to wedding rings. In each instance, the cyclical form represents a desire for continuity, a subconscious yearning for order amidst chaos. Raynal, encased in this eternal shape, becomes more than a man; he becomes an enduring idea.