Portret van de jurist Gaspard Thaumas de la Thaumasière, heer van Gerissay op 63-jarige leeftijd 1695

This is Pieter van Schuppen's portrait of Gaspard Thaumas de la Thaumassière, a legal figure, created as a print in 1694. This image reflects the visual language of power in 17th-century Europe. Gaspard, depicted at 63, embodies the era's ideals of male authority, intellect, and social standing. His attire and the elaborate frame suggest the tastes of the time. But it is the trappings of the print that truly demonstrate his connection to the powerful elite. The Latin phrases bordering the image and inscribed on the base translate to his roles as an advocate of Bourges. The lions and crests at the bottom signal his noble status and the power of lineage. Portraits like this not only celebrated individual status but also reinforced existing social hierarchies. They remind us of the emotional and social distance maintained through formal representation. The controlled image of Gaspard echoes the rigid structures of the era, a world where identity was dictated by class and social role.