Portret van Lazare Rivière 1653

Claudia Brunand created this portrait of Lazare Rivière in print around 1653. The oval composition immediately strikes us, confining Rivière within a formal, almost claustrophobic, structure. Consider how the detailed inscriptions encircling Rivière not only frame him but also position him within a network of knowledge and power. The visual structure suggests a world where identity is constructed through titles and affiliations, each meticulously etched into the copper plate. The materiality of the print—its fine lines and tonal gradations—suggests Rivière's image as a carefully constructed sign. It is a semiotic representation of his status and intellectual contributions, designed to project authority. The contrast between the softness of his face and the rigidity of the frame underscores a tension between individual character and social role. The inscription emphasizes Rivière's likeness to Hippocrates, presenting him as both a subject of study and a figure of authority. This structural mirroring highlights how meaning is created through repetition and difference, challenging fixed notions of identity.