Portret van Louis Antoine de Noailles 1700 - 1729

Pierre Drevet made this print of Louis Antoine de Noailles, a French cardinal, sometime around the turn of the 18th century. The print is a fascinating insight into the politics of imagery in France at the time. Consider the visual codes used to convey Noailles’ power and status, not only his cardinal robes, but the elaborate frame and heraldic symbols. Noailles was Archbishop of Paris, a key institutional position in the French Catholic Church, which gives some insight into his influence at this time. It’s important to remember that the church in France was both a religious and political institution, deeply entwined with the monarchy and aristocracy. Looking at the archives of the French Royal Court and the Catholic Church, it’s possible to understand the precise role Noailles played. Art like this, as we see here, tells us so much about the society from which it emerged.