Portret van Roberto Bellarmino 1749 - 1809

Johann Elias Haid produced this print of Roberto Bellarmino, sometime in the late eighteenth century. It offers insights into how religious figures were memorialized and circulated through visual media. Haid, working in Augsburg, Germany, chose the format of an oval portrait, a visual trope that elevates the subject. Bellarmino, a Jesuit Cardinal, is depicted with the solemnity and dignity befitting his station. The Latin inscription reinforces his credentials and lifespan, rooting him in the historical narrative of the Catholic Church. This kind of imagery played a crucial role in shaping public perception of religious authority. Prints like these were not just aesthetic objects; they were tools in larger socio-political and religious dialogues, reaffirming the Church's presence in a rapidly changing world. A deeper understanding can be achieved by researching the printmaking industry in 18th-century Augsburg, the history of the Jesuit order, and the visual culture of religious portraiture. The image provides a valuable case study of art's role in constructing historical memory.