Portret van Etienne Tonnellier 1645 - 1647

This print of Etienne Tonnellier by Paul Roussel offers a window into the world of the French Catholic Church in the 17th century. The visual codes of dress and posture denote status, intelligence, and piety, all qualities linked to Tonnellier’s position as a Doctor of Theology. The inscription tells us that Tonnellier was the priest of Saint Eustache for 37 years and died in 1645, aged 67. What can be seen in this portrait are the institutional structures that shaped identity and the cultural norms that informed this image. The role of the church, the function of priesthood, the construction of scholarly identity – these are all social and cultural practices that play out in the visual field. To understand this work, we might research the history of the Catholic Church in France and Paris. What were the qualifications to become a priest? What role did the church play in French Society? What were the important theological debates of the time? All of these questions help us to understand this artwork as an object contingent on its historical moment.