Portret van de Franse kardinaal Anne d'Escars de Givry 1644

This engraving by Frans van den Wijngaerde captures Cardinal Anne d’Escars de Givry. Note the Cardinal's attire: a square biretta and flowing robes, symbols of his high ecclesiastical rank. Consider the evolution of such garments. Long before the Cardinal's time, similar vestments appeared in depictions of ancient philosophers and scholars. This visual language, adopted and adapted by the Church, imbues its wearers with an aura of authority, knowledge, and divine connection. The flowing beard, another prominent feature, evokes images of Old Testament prophets and venerable sages. This connection is no accident. The Church consciously aligned itself with this lineage, tapping into the collective memory of wisdom and spiritual gravitas. The power of these symbols lies in their ability to trigger subconscious associations, reinforcing the Cardinal’s authority and the Church’s enduring legacy. These motifs do not simply vanish; they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, reflecting the cyclical nature of cultural memory.