Louis-Nicolas Bernot de Mouchy, 1764, at the Age of 16 1760 - 1770

Jean-Baptiste Nini created this terracotta medallion of Louis-Nicolas Bernot de Mouchy in 1764, capturing him at the tender age of sixteen. The profile portrait, set within a circular frame, echoes the classical tradition of portrait medals, a format that stretches back to antiquity, evoking notions of fame and remembrance. Consider the youthful Bernot de Mouchy, his delicate features framed by carefully arranged curls. These curls are not merely a fashion statement; they speak to the artifice and performance of aristocratic identity. This motif reappears throughout history, from the elaborate hairstyles of Roman emperors to the powdered wigs of the French court, each iteration carrying its own weight of cultural and social meaning. The circular frame itself, suggesting wholeness and eternity, is a recurring symbol, reminiscent of ancient coins and Renaissance medallions, each embedding the subject within a continuous cycle of memory. This image is not merely a likeness but a carefully constructed representation of youth, status, and the enduring power of symbols to transcend time.