Portret van Charles Nicolas Alexandre graaf d'Oultremont, bisschop van Luik 1763 - 1788

This print portrays Charles Nicolas Alexandre, Count of Oultremont and Bishop of Liège. It was created by Johann Esaias Nilson, an artist active in the late 18th century, a period defined by rigid social hierarchies. Nilson's engraving reflects the Bishop's elevated status through symbolic imagery. Framed by ornate flourishes and cherubic figures, he is depicted as a figure of power and piety. Yet, consider how the Bishop's identity intertwines with the societal structures of his time. As a member of the aristocracy and a high-ranking cleric, his life was preordained within a system that privileged birth and religious authority. The Latin inscription, a testament to his noble lineage, further reinforces the exclusivity of his position. Nilson's work captures not just an individual, but the embodiment of an era's values. How does this carefully constructed image speak to our contemporary understandings of power, identity, and representation?