Portret van de predikant Anton Bynaeus 1670 - 1713

This is a portrait of the preacher Anton Bynaeus, made as an engraving by Pieter Schenk in Amsterdam, likely around the turn of the 18th century. It is a highly stylized image of a man who held a position of considerable cultural authority in the Dutch Republic. We see him framed in an oval, as though his likeness were carved in stone. The Latin inscription that surrounds him serves to reinforce his status as a learned member of the Republic of Letters. The choice of engraving is significant too. This reproductive medium allowed for the wide circulation of Bynaeus's image. It would have promoted a particular vision of the man and his role in Dutch society, which was deeply shaped by religious institutions. To fully understand this portrait, a historian could delve into the archives of the Dutch Reformed Church, as well as the records of Amsterdam’s artistic community.