Portret van Hermanus Boerhaave 1816 - 1833

This is Pierre Roch Vigneron’s portrait of Hermanus Boerhaave, made sometime in the 19th century. Boerhaave, who lived from 1668 to 1738, was a professor of botany and medicine in Leiden. During this period, the representation of men in positions of authority often conformed to a set of visual codes: portraiture of the time reflects how power and status were performed. Boerhaave’s identity as an academic is communicated through his poised demeanor and formal attire. This portrait exists within a visual tradition that often excluded women and people of color from positions of authority and their likeness from formal portraiture. By understanding the social and cultural history of portraiture, we can consider who is included, who is excluded, and how these images shape our perceptions of power.