Portret van Jean Papire Masson 1638

Michel Faulte created this engraving of Jean Papire Masson, a 17th century lawyer, though we cannot be sure exactly when. The work evokes the status and authority of its sitter through symbolic visual language. As a lawyer, Masson belonged to a learned profession at a time when French society was highly stratified. The Latin inscription makes clear that he was an advocate in the Parisian Parliament, the high court of justice under the Old Regime. The trappings of the portrait--the oval frame, the heraldic devices, the formal dress--all reinforce Masson's prominent position. To understand the engraving fully, we need to consider the social and institutional context in which it was produced and consumed. By consulting historical records such as legal documents, genealogical archives, and books about the history of the French legal system, it is possible to learn more about Masson himself and the world he inhabited.