Portret van Simon Tyssot de Patot 1695 - 1727

Claude Duflos created this portrait engraving of Simon Tyssot de Patot, a professor of mathematics, sometime between 1665 and 1727. Here, de Patot is framed by his identity as an academic and intellectual. It's right there in the inscription: Professor of Mathematics. Yet, de Patot's life was far from simple; he was a philosopher and writer known for his radical views. In 1719, he was exiled from the Netherlands for these views, highlighting the tension between intellectual pursuit and societal norms. The poem at the bottom of the engraving seems to hint at this complexity, speaking to both his "superbe habit" and the "divine flame" within his writings. This portrait, then, becomes more than just an image of a man. It reflects the societal pressures and personal challenges faced by intellectuals who dared to question the status quo. It invites us to consider the relationship between individual expression, academic freedom, and the prevailing social order.