Penning met het portret van paus Alexander VII 1730

This is Bernard Picart’s etching of a medal portraying Pope Alexander VII. It is currently located in the Rijksmuseum. Picart created this portrait of the pontiff during the height of the Enlightenment, a period marked by seismic shifts in religious and political power. The engraving captures Alexander VII in profile, his papal vestments meticulously detailed, reflecting the opulence and authority of the Catholic Church. However, consider the role of portraiture itself during this period. Was it merely a representation of power or a tool for constructing identity? Picart, a French artist working in the Dutch Republic, navigated a complex web of religious and cultural contexts. His artistic choices reflect not only the likeness of the Pope but also the artist's negotiation of his own identity. The etching prompts us to consider how images shape our understanding of historical figures. What aspects of Alexander VII’s persona did Picart choose to highlight, and what does this reveal about the dynamics between artist, subject, and audience?