Pierre de L'Angle, Bishop of Boulogne c. 18th century

Editor: This is Jacques Nicolas Tardieu's engraving of Pierre de L'Angle, Bishop of Boulogne. The details in the robes and the bishop’s calm expression give it such a stately, formal feel. What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: I see a carefully constructed image of power and authority. The Bishop is not just a man but a representative of the Church, meticulously framed to project an image of learnedness and stability. Consider the book, the writing desk – these are props in a performance of ecclesiastical authority. Editor: So the portrait is more about the institution than the individual? Curator: Precisely. It's about reinforcing the Church's social standing through visual representation. What do you think the public at the time would have thought about it? Editor: I imagine it would solidify respect for the Church. I never considered how political portraiture could be. Curator: Exactly. Art is so rarely just art.