Portret van Jean-Baptiste Cyrus de Timbrune de Thiembronne 1824

Henri Grevedon captured Jean-Baptiste Cyrus de Timbrune de Thiembronne de Valence’s likeness in this lithograph during a time of great social upheaval. This portrait offers us a glimpse into the identity of a man navigating the complexities of post-revolutionary France. De Valence, a member of the French aristocracy, is adorned with the symbols of his status; a stark contrast to the revolutionary ideals of equality that had recently swept the nation. The elegance and formality, however, can't hide the winds of change. De Valence had complex ties to the monarchy, and his later exile speaks to the precariousness of identity and belonging in the wake of revolution. Consider what it meant to have your portrait made during this period. It wasn’t just a representation of a person, but a statement of who they were, or perhaps, who they wished to be. The very act of commissioning a portrait was fraught with political meaning. This image then, becomes a poignant reflection on the negotiation of identity amidst shifting social and political landscapes.