Portret van Pierre Lallemant 1678

This is Robert Nanteuil’s portrait of Pierre Lallemant, made with burin and etching. Nanteuil was a prominent portraitist in a 17th-century France still beholden to the monarchy. Note the trappings of power in this portrait. The trappings of not only clerical but also intellectual power. Lallemant was, after all, chancellor of the University of Paris. I’m struck by the way Nanteuil captures the particular weight and authority carried by men in these institutions. There is a subtle confidence in Lallemant’s gaze. It reflects the power and privilege afforded to men of the church during this period. Portraits like this can encourage us to consider who is historically represented and celebrated in art, and whose stories remain untold. They ask us to think about the power structures embedded in the art world. It prompts us to reflect on the ongoing work needed to broaden representation and challenge dominant narratives.