Portret van maarschalk François de Neufville, hertog van Villeroy 1695 - 1737

This print portrays Marshal François de Neufville, Duke of Villeroy, and was made by Pieter van den Berge. The composition is dominated by the Duke's figure, meticulously detailed with textures of fur and fabric. The use of hatching and cross-hatching gives depth to the image, creating a strong contrast between light and shadow. The Duke, dressed in elaborate attire, stands in the foreground, while the background features a dynamic battle scene. This juxtaposition creates a tension between the individual and the collective, the ordered and the chaotic. The linear precision used in the Duke's portrait contrasts with the more loosely defined forms in the background, which may destabilize established power dynamics, by challenging traditional representations of military command. The print functions as a complex interplay of signs, where clothing, setting, and action converge to reflect broader cultural and philosophical concerns about leadership and the spectacle of war.