Portret van apostolisch vicaris Petrus Codde 1681 - 1726

This is François van Bleyswijck's "Portret van apostolisch vicaris Petrus Codde," an engraving of modest size housed here at the Rijksmuseum. The print meticulously renders Codde within an oval frame, which is itself contained within the sharp lines of the rectangular print. Bleyswijck's composition uses a dense network of fine lines to shape the textures of fabric and the play of light across surfaces. The oval containing the portrait creates a formal boundary, emphasizing Codde's figure as both contained and central. The backdrop—a suggestion of ecclesiastical authority with books and religious iconography—is carefully constructed through linear precision. Bleyswijck’s expert use of hatching and cross-hatching not only defines form but also engages with the semiotic language of portraiture. The print destabilizes fixed meanings, prompting ongoing interpretation and appreciation.