Portret van Raffaele Maffei c. 1597 - 1599

This engraving of Raffaele Maffei was made by Theodor de Bry in the late 16th century. It's a portrait encased in an oval frame, typical of the era, but it also speaks volumes about identity and status during the Renaissance. Maffei, a humanist and theologian, is presented with the gravitas befitting a scholar. Yet, the image is more than just a representation of an individual; it’s a carefully constructed persona. Consider the Latin inscription, a testament to Maffei’s legacy as a celebrated historian. The very act of creating and circulating such portraits was a means of solidifying one's place in the cultural and intellectual landscape. It's a statement about who gets remembered and how. De Bry’s detailed engraving invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in portraiture and the stories these images tell about the people and times they represent. It prompts us to consider whose stories were deemed worthy of preservation and how those stories continue to shape our understanding of history.