Portret van Louis François, hertog van Boufflers 1691

Jacob Gole created this print of Louis François, the Duke of Boufflers, sometime between 1660 and 1737. This image brings to mind questions about the politics of representation and the power dynamics inherent in portraiture. The Duke is presented with unflattering realism. The inscription below the image says, "This procession owes me all its glory, I'm the one who did it all, who dragonned it all, I violated, killed, pillaged, imprisoned: And then prosecutor of eternal memory". The text seems to be written from the perspective of the Duke boasting about violence perpetrated during the Dragonnades, a policy of Louis XIV which involved quartering dragoons in the homes of Protestant families to encourage them to convert to Catholicism. This portrait develops an alternative narrative by showing the Duke’s cruelty, reflecting the religious and political conflicts of the time, offering a glimpse into the less glorified aspects of power and religious persecution. The artist invites us to consider the human cost of historical events, reminding us that behind every political action, there are personal stories of suffering and resilience.