Portret van Henri de Latour d'Auvergne, vicomte de Turenne 1796 - 1802

This is a print made by François Bonneville depicting Henri de Latour d'Auvergne, a French military leader. Born in 1722, Bonneville lived through the height of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, dying in 1840. Prints like these were crucial for disseminating images of power. Note how Turenne is shown in armor, a visual code linking him to military strength. The oval frame suggests a classical bust, imbuing him with the virtues of past heroes. France in the 18th and 19th centuries was obsessed with its history, particularly figures who embodied national pride. Artists worked within a system of patronage, often producing works that reinforced the status quo, although the revolution and later empire disrupted those patterns. To understand this print better, you might research Bonneville's career, Turenne's biography, and the role of portraiture in French society. Only by considering these social and institutional contexts can we fully appreciate the meaning of this image.