Portret van bisschop Sébastien de Guémadeuc 1661 - 1704

Guillaume Vallet created this print of Bishop Sébastien de Guémadeuc in the 17th century. Prints such as this one were important means of circulating images of prominent figures in French society, particularly those connected to the institutions of church and state. Here, Bishop Guémadeuc is depicted in an oval frame, with an inscription that identifies him as a bishop. Below the portrait is a heraldic shield, and he is wearing a cross that denotes his religious position. The engraving, with its fine lines and careful attention to detail, conveys a sense of decorum fitting the bishop's status. Prints like this can tell us a lot about the hierarchies of the period, and the way that powerful individuals sought to project an image of authority. Sources in local archives can often reveal more about the subjects of these portraits, and the institutions they served.