Portret van Jean-François Ducis 1825

This portrait of Jean-François Ducis was rendered by Henri Grevedon in the 18th or 19th century using a combination of engraving and etching techniques. Notice how Ducis is draped in furs. Such garments carry a potent charge, a vestige of humanity’s ancient reliance on the animal kingdom. These furs evoke not just warmth and status, but also a primal connection to the wild. Consider the recurring motif of animal skins across cultures—from the priestly robes adorned with ermine in Renaissance portraits to the symbolic wearing of animal attributes in shamanic rituals. These are all attempts to harness the power of nature. The act of donning animal attire is often imbued with an attempt to assume the animal's strength or wisdom, a psychological projection deeply rooted in our collective unconscious. Thus, the furs worn by Ducis serve not merely as decoration but as a profound symbol of authority and connection to natural forces. This iconography has been adapted and reinterpreted throughout history, each time echoing a primal yearning for power.