Portret van Pierre Pithou 1682

This print of Pierre Pithou was made by Nicolas de Larmessin in France in the 17th century. Pithou was a lawyer and scholar during a time of religious conflict in France, and this image gives us insight into how intellectuals navigated those conflicts. The text tells us about Pithou's family history and their association with nobility, but what does this tell us about his position in society? We can look to the portrait itself for further clues. Consider the oval frame, which would have been a classical reference, and the book from which it came, a celebration of the arts. This is a man who wants to be remembered for his mind. To understand the image fully, we would need to look at the histories of legal institutions in France at the time, as well as the biographies of other intellectuals in Pithou's circle. By studying the artwork in its social and institutional context, we can gain insights into the politics of imagery in 17th century France.