Portret van de mineraloog Claude-Hugues Lelièvre 1822

Julien-Léopold Boilly created this print of Claude-Hugues Lelièvre, a mineralogist, sometime in the early 19th century. It offers us a glimpse into the world of French science and the institutions that supported it during this transformative period. The image shows Lelièvre, a member of the Legion of Honour, in a formal pose. Below, the print proudly displays ‘Institut Royal de France’. The ‘Institut’ was one of many institutions that emerged after the French Revolution, when the old royal academies were reorganised. These new institutions played a crucial role in shaping knowledge production, setting standards, and fostering intellectual exchange. The portrait situates Lelièvre within a network of scientific elites, highlighting his status and contributions. To understand this work fully, one needs to delve into the archives of the Institut Royal and the biographies of its members. This print serves as a reminder that artistic and scientific achievements are always embedded in a specific social and institutional context.