Portret van Johann Bolland 1667

This is a portrait of Johann Bolland, made by Richard Collin, in 1665. Bolland, a Jesuit scholar, is depicted wearing the garb of his order, a symbol of his devotion and intellectual life. The oval frame recalls classical portraiture, evoking notions of eternity and enduring legacy, yet, it also feels confining, limiting. Think of the Renaissance portraits where figures were framed by architectural elements, opening to expansive landscapes that suggested power, wealth, and freedom. Here, instead, the tight frame focuses attention solely on the face, drawing us into Bolland's gaze, a gaze that hints at the intense mental activity within. The text below emphasizes Bolland's work as a "hagiographer of saints." This reference reminds us of the human impulse to immortalize, to give the dead a continued life in memory. This desire transcends time, visible even in ancient Egyptian funerary practices, where elaborate tombs and portraits sought to defy mortality. Consider the symbolic weight of this image: not just a likeness, but a vessel carrying Bolland's persona through centuries. A testament to our enduring attempt to master time.