Portret van Louis-François-Joseph de Bourbon-Conti 1744

Johann Martin Bernigeroth created this portrait of Louis-François-Joseph de Bourbon-Conti using etching techniques. Born into the French aristocracy, Louis-François-Joseph’s identity was largely predetermined by his lineage, a societal structure that afforded him privilege, but also bound him to certain expectations and roles. The portrait offers a glimpse into the visual codes of 18th-century nobility. From his powdered wig to his ornate garments, his clothing signifies status and wealth. But what does it mean to perform this identity? How much of his ‘self’ is dictated by the expectations of class, gender, and power? Consider this image as a meditation on the performance of identity. While seemingly captured by status and tradition, the portrait quietly hints at the tensions between individual experience and imposed social roles.