Jacques Tuboeuf, intendant des finances 1605 - 1650

This engraving from the 17th century by Jean Morin portrays Jacques Tuboeuf, an intendant of finance. The octagonal frame is not merely decorative; it is inscribed with Tuboeuf's titles, proclaiming his status and role within the French court. Consider the baton-like tassels dangling from the sitter's neck, a subtle yet potent symbol of authority and status. This motif is not unique to the French court; we see similar objects in Roman imperial portraiture, where batons and scepters signified power and dominion. This symbol has an almost archetypal quality that echoes through centuries. The baton has since been reinterpreted. Think of military batons, police batons, drum major batons. The symbolic baton is an enduring aspect of how societies visualize and legitimize authority, revealing our collective, often subconscious, need for visible symbols of order and control. This image, therefore, is more than a portrait; it's a study of power, visualized and then passed down in endless variation through time.