Portret van Jocelin I van Edessa 1838 - 1841

Charles-Amédée Colin created this portrait of Jocelin I of Edessa using a steel engraving. Colin lived in a time of burgeoning French nationalism, with the drive to create a visual record of French history, royalty, and nobility. Jocelin was a prominent figure during the crusades, a series of religious wars from the 11th to 13th centuries. The portrait exudes power through the depiction of Jocelin holding a sword and shield. In the piece, Jocelin's identity as a crusader is emblazoned on the shield with the Jerusalem cross, a symbol which speaks to religious and political power. While on the surface this image may seem to serve as a historical record, we must consider its construction. As we unpack the histories of colonialism we should remain aware of how these images were often leveraged to promote particular cultural and political perspectives. Jocelin is immortalized here, an iconic figure of the crusades, but we must question whose stories are not told in this image.