Portret van Johannes Malderus 1615 - 1691

This is an undated portrait of Johannes Malderus, made by an anonymous artist. Malderus, Bishop of Antwerp in the 17th century, is presented here as a figure of power, entrenched in the visual rhetoric of the Catholic Church. But what does it mean to depict a man of the church? Here, the artist uses the traditional visual language of power and piety. The cross that hangs on his chest, his garb, and the pen in his hand, all tell a story of religious authority and intellectual pursuit. This image is not merely a likeness; it’s a carefully constructed representation of identity, designed to project a certain kind of persona. Yet, perhaps, there is an element of humanity captured here too. As viewers, we are invited to consider the complex interplay between public persona and private self, as well as the historical and cultural forces that shape our perceptions of identity.