Portret van Petrus Codde, aartsbisschop van Utrecht 1704

Editor: This is Philibert Bouttats' 1704 engraving, "Portret van Petrus Codde, aartsbisschop van Utrecht," at the Rijksmuseum. It has a real air of authority and almost theatrical power. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Beyond the sitter’s evident authority, this print serves as a potent visual document of a very specific moment in religious and political conflict. Codde was a key figure within the Jansenist controversy—a Catholic theological movement that challenged papal authority. I see his portrait as both an assertion of power and a marker of dissent. Note how he is surrounded by books – visual cues emphasizing his intellectual grounding. Editor: So, the books aren’t just for show? What does that suggest about the piece's purpose? Curator: Exactly. The placement isn't arbitrary; it emphasizes a source of authority that is theological and deeply rooted in intellectualism, maybe even defying Rome's centralization. This portrait presents Codde not simply as a bishop but as a learned figure at the center of a theological storm. Consider the selection of texts depicted – what might they reveal about Codde’s particular leanings and the philosophical battles he was fighting? Also notice the inclusion of a Crucifix; does the pairing reinforce the challenges of hierarchy and human sacrifice or is the message more complicated? Editor: It makes you think about what power looks like, who holds it, and how it’s portrayed. Thanks, I’m looking at this print completely differently now. Curator: Absolutely! Art like this challenges us to examine power structures and to appreciate art's role in complex conversations throughout history.