Portret van Joseph Berchoux 1826

Ambroise Tardieu made this print of Joseph Berchoux, the French poet and librettist, sometime in the early nineteenth century. The print is a reminder of the institutional structures that shaped artistic production in France at the time. Engraving allowed for the relatively inexpensive reproduction of images, which were often commissioned by institutions such as libraries, learned societies, and the government. The image created meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. Berchoux is presented here as a figure of considerable social standing. The print served to reinforce the importance of literature and the arts in French society, while also promoting the careers of both the artist and the sitter. Historians like myself look at the archives of institutions and personal papers of artists to understand the social and cultural forces that shaped the creation and reception of art. This print is one small piece of a much larger puzzle, helping us to understand the role of art in French society during a period of great change.