Étienne Jehannot de Bartillat 1661 - 1671

Robert Nanteuil created this engraving of Étienne Jehannot de Bartillat, a counselor to the king, sometime in the 17th century. Nanteuil was Louis XIV's official engraver, and in that role, he produced many portraits of members of the French court. The image, with its elaborate presentation and Latin inscription, testifies to the power and prestige associated with the French monarchy and its inner circle. We see not just a man, but an emblem of authority, carefully constructed through the tools of art and the conventions of courtly representation. The fashions, the wig, and the symbolic language of heraldry are all part of a performance of status. But it is impossible to ignore the immense privilege and exclusion that underpinned this world. While figures like Bartillat enjoyed the benefits of royal favor, vast segments of the population were excluded from such opportunities. How might those outside the frame of this portrait have viewed such displays of power? Consider what stories remain untold, and what perspectives are missing.