Portret van Samuel Delescherpierre 1660

Crispijn van den Queborn created this portrait of Samuel Delescherpierre as an engraving around 1660. It is now held in the Rijksmuseum. The image encapsulates the religious tensions that defined the Dutch Republic in the 17th century. Delescherpierre, a French pastor serving a French church in Delft, is shown as a figure of authority, his dress and demeanor reflecting his religious standing. The presence of a French-speaking church within the Dutch Republic points to the country's relative tolerance and the complex mix of cultures within it at that time. To better understand the social conditions that led to this work we can use archival records, theological texts, and historical accounts of religious life in the Dutch Republic. These resources would help us reflect on the meanings of art as contingent on social and institutional contexts.