Portret van Fray Luis de Granada 1682

This is Nicolas de Larmessin’s print of Fray Luis de Granada, made in the 17th century. Larmessin was part of a dynasty of prominent printmakers in France. Prints like these circulated widely and were instrumental in shaping public perceptions of notable figures, like Fray Luis, a Dominican friar and renowned spiritual writer. The choice to portray Luis de Granada in profile emphasizes the austerity of his religious devotion. Stripped of color, the print presents a man defined by his faith. The tonsure, a shaved head, signified his renunciation of worldly vanity, marking him as belonging to God. Consider how Larmessin, as a printmaker, was part of a burgeoning media landscape, where images became powerful tools in constructing and disseminating identities. This portrait invites us to think about the relationship between representation, religious identity, and the power of images in shaping cultural memory.