Portret van kardinaal Lorenzo Corsini, de latere paus Clemens XII 1725 - 1771

Laurent Cars created this portrait engraving of Cardinal Lorenzo Corsini, who later became Pope Clement XII. Encircling the portrait, the oval frame bears an inscription, a common visual motif in papal imagery. The inscription not only identifies the subject but also frames him within a legacy of power. Below the portrait, a heraldic shield displays the Corsini family's coat of arms. These symbols—stripes and a bend—aren't merely decorative; they are emblems of lineage, authority, and the weight of familial history. Heraldry, like many symbols, has roots stretching back to ancient times, evolving from simple battlefield identifiers to complex declarations of identity. Consider how such symbols resonate across centuries. In antiquity, emblems on shields stirred troops’ courage and connected them to ancestral valor. Similarly, the Corsini coat of arms serves as a visual anchor, grounding Clement XII in a tradition of power. This continuity is not merely historical, it is psychological. The symbols evoke deeply rooted feelings of belonging, authority, and continuity.