Portret van Joseph Carlottus 1682

Martial Desbois created this small portrait of Joseph Carlottus, Canon, using engraving techniques. The most striking element is the use of geometric shapes, especially the contrast between the oval frame and the rectangular base, which creates a structured yet dynamic composition. The portrait of Carlottus is meticulously detailed, from the lines that define his face to the intricate patterns of his clothing. Desbois uses line and form not only to depict Carlottus but also to engage with the philosophical context of the time. The inscription around the oval, rendered in precise lettering, functions as a signifier, rooting the image in a specific intellectual milieu. Consider the interplay between the personal and the formal—how Desbois balances the individual likeness of Carlottus with the symbolic weight of his office and intellectual pursuits. The geometric frame and the ordered text suggest a world governed by reason and structure, which was central to philosophical discourse during the 17th century. This print, therefore, functions as both a portrait and a statement about the subject's place within a structured universe of knowledge and order.