Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, Prince de Dombes 1706

Curator: The first impression is undeniably commanding. All that armor, encircled by the inscription, feels so meticulously rendered. Editor: Indeed. This is Pierre Drevet's engraving of Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, Prince de Dombes, housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums. What strikes me is the contrast between the formidable armor and the almost languid expression on his face. Curator: Exactly! There's a gentleness, even vulnerability, that the armor seems to almost try to hide. You wonder what that gaze holds. Editor: The Prince was a significant figure in his time, and this image, carefully crafted, would have circulated to solidify his status. The formal setting and elaborate frame are doing a lot of work here. Curator: I see it. But, beyond that, I can’t help but sense a story—a complex inner life barely hinted at beneath the trappings of power. Editor: It makes you consider the performance of identity, doesn’t it? We are reminded that portraits like these are as much about constructing a persona as they are about capturing an likeness. Curator: A persona, definitely, and perhaps a little bit of the real man peeking through. It's a fascinating tension. Editor: A tension that keeps us looking, centuries later.