Portret van François Leclerc du Tremblay in gebed 1638 - 1667

Curator: This image, held at the Rijksmuseum, is a Baroque-style print titled "Portret van François Leclerc du Tremblay in gebed," dating somewhere between 1638 and 1667, and attributed to Michel Lasne. It's an engraving, showcasing the figure in prayer before a cross. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: It strikes me as instantly melancholic. The monochrome and the fine, almost etched lines amplify a feeling of introspection. His clasped hands and downward gaze—it’s as if he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. And the background, like a cave or craggy rock, adds to this feeling of being isolated. Curator: Indeed. Leclerc du Tremblay, also known as Père Joseph, was a Capuchin friar and a close confidant to Cardinal Richelieu, wielding significant influence in French politics during the Thirty Years’ War. Editor: Ah, so the setting isn't just some random cave, it's symbolic, right? Like, he's in the depths of a spiritual, perhaps political, struggle? The cross seems almost... stark against that backdrop. It's not ornate, but very simple and direct, emphasizing his faith during troubled times. Curator: Precisely. The cross serves as a potent symbol of sacrifice and devotion, core to his Capuchin identity. Consider his gaze, which isn’t toward the divine but turned inward. It might suggest the internal conflict a man of power faces when reconciling faith and worldly affairs. Editor: I'm also seeing that the rendering of his face... the deep lines, almost exaggerated, lend him a haggard look. It brings an almost uncomfortable realism to the portrait. It isn’t the glorified depiction of a religious figure, but one of raw human emotion etched on his very skin. Curator: The engraver, Michel Lasne, truly captured that tension. What might look like a straightforward portrait is imbued with a layered symbolism—a man caught between devotion and worldly involvement. Editor: Looking at it, you almost forget it's just an engraving because it seems to contain such a narrative within this simple framework of lines and shading. Thanks, Père Joseph and Michel Lasne, for this slice of poignant human complexity! Curator: An apt reflection. The image truly invites us to ponder the intertwined threads of faith, power, and personal contemplation.