Portret van Bernard Picart c. 1683 - 1733

This red chalk drawing portrays Bernard Picart and was made by an anonymous artist. Considered one of the most significant engravers of his time, Picart was born into a world deeply shaped by religious conflict. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, which stripped French Protestants of their rights, Picart, born into a Protestant family, fled Catholic persecution in France, eventually settling in the Netherlands. This experience of displacement profoundly impacted his life and work, informing his engagement with themes of religious tolerance. Here, his identity seems to be intentionally presented, perhaps to combat religious prosecution. The powdered wig, fashionable at the time, indicates Picart's place in society. While an unsigned drawing poses questions about the artist’s intentions, the image remains an intimate portrayal of a man shaped by his era’s religious and political upheavals.