Presumed Portrait of René Descartes 

Sebastien Bourdon likely painted this portrait of René Descartes in France sometime in the mid-17th century. What interests me most is the role of the portrait in shaping the legacy of a philosopher. Descartes was one of the key figures in the development of modern rationalism, and this image presents him as a figure of authority and intellectual power. Look at the somber tones, the formal attire, and the sitter's composed expression. These visual cues convey the importance of the sitter. But, it is also worth remembering that this is a posthumous portrait and that Descartes lived in exile in Sweden near the end of his life. To me, the making of the image is an act of cultural memory, and it is important to understand who commissioned the portrait and how it was displayed to fully understand its public role. Art historians consult letters, inventories, and exhibition records to reconstruct the social life of images like this one. By understanding how this image circulated, we can better understand the ongoing significance of Descartes’ ideas.