Portret van Jean-Baptiste Colbert de Seignelay 1666 - 1707

This is Gérard Edelinck's portrait of Jean-Baptiste Colbert de Seignelay, made as an engraving. What can this image tell us about the politics of imagery in seventeenth-century France? Colbert de Seignelay was a prominent figure in the court of Louis XIV, holding positions such as Minister of the Navy. Portraits like these served to reinforce the power and status of the French elite. Visual codes are all at play here: the elaborate wig, the fine lace collar, and the heraldic emblem are all markers of nobility and power. This was a period when the French monarchy was consolidating its authority, and the arts were strategically deployed to project an image of grandeur and control. The Rijksmuseum itself, as an institution, plays a role in shaping our understanding of this portrait, by curating and contextualizing it within a broader narrative of Dutch and European history. Through careful analysis of the work, and archival research into its production and reception, we can gain insights into the complex interplay between art, power, and society in the age of Louis XIV.