Jean-Baptiste Colbert 1662

Curator: Looking at this portrait, I’m immediately drawn to the subject’s calm, almost melancholic gaze. There’s a real sense of introspection there, wouldn't you say? Editor: Indeed. This is Robert Nanteuil’s engraving of Jean-Baptiste Colbert. A key figure in Louis XIV’s court, Colbert shaped French economic policy as the Controller-General of Finances. Nanteuil captured him in this formal, oval portrait. Curator: The detail is remarkable. You can almost feel the weight of that robe, the texture of his hair. It's as though Nanteuil is trying to capture not just his likeness, but his very essence. Editor: Absolutely. Engravings like this served a crucial function: distributing images of power. Colbert wanted to project an image of authority, and Nanteuil, a master of the medium, provided him with the tools. Curator: Funny, isn't it? How something so meticulously crafted can still feel so... human. Editor: Well, the politics of image-making are rarely simple, are they? Ultimately, this print offers a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of power, personality, and artistic skill in the French court.