Portret van François Marie Peyrenc de Moras 1838 - 1841

Nicolas Edouard Lerouge made this portrait print of François Marie Peyrenc de Moras. Prints like this are often overlooked, but they played a crucial role in the social and cultural life of their time. In eighteenth-century France, images of leading officials served to cement their authority and status. François Marie Peyrenc de Moras held a significant position as Secretary of State for the Navy. His association with naval power, crucial to French trade and colonial ambitions, would have been obvious to viewers. The print also provides insight into the hierarchies of the art world. The inscription tells us that it was 'Drawn by Hanmann', but 'Engraved by Lerouge'. This reminds us of the division of labor in printmaking and the varied skills involved in the mass production of images, also shedding light on the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture and their contribution to the industry. To fully understand this print's function, one might examine the archives of the French Navy, period newspapers, and the records of printmaking workshops. In doing so, we recognize how the meaning of an image is always embedded in its social and institutional context.