Cardinal Charles de Bourbon, Archbishop of Lyons 1821 - 1834

Editor: This is Johann Nepomuk Strixner’s portrait of Cardinal Charles de Bourbon. The starkness of the black and white medium gives it a somber quality. What symbols stand out to you? Curator: Observe the hands, clasped in prayer, adorned with rings—symbols of power interwoven with piety. Note the heraldic symbols, repeated patterns of ancestry, marking lineage and legitimacy. What do these symbols evoke for you? Editor: They suggest a tension between earthly power and spiritual devotion, perhaps? Curator: Precisely! The artist uses these symbols to explore the complex, often conflicting, roles individuals played within historical power structures. It reveals enduring cultural narratives. Editor: I see now how Strixner uses these recurring symbols to weave a rich story!