Portret van John Tillotson

Jacob Houbraken made this print of John Tillotson, Archbishop of Canterbury, sometime between 1698 and 1780. The image encapsulates the social and religious hierarchies of 17th-century England and the Dutch Republic. As a portrait of a high-ranking cleric, this print reflects the enduring power of the church within society. Note how the trappings of ecclesiastical office – the robes and the inscription denoting Tillotson’s title – serve to reinforce his authority. Houbraken, working in the Dutch Republic, was part of a sophisticated printmaking industry that catered to a market eager for images of prominent figures. These portraits often served a didactic function, presenting models of virtue and piety for public consumption. To fully understand this image, we might consult biographical accounts of Tillotson, histories of the Church of England, and studies of print culture in the early modern period. The meaning of this portrait, like all art, is contingent on its historical and social context.