Jean François de Gondy, the Archbishop of Paris c. 18th century

Curator: This is Claude Duflos's engraving of Jean Francois de Gondy, the Archbishop of Paris. It's currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought is how striking the hat is— it really frames the face and announces his status, doesn’t it? Curator: Absolutely! The sheer act of engraving itself, the labor and precision, speaks volumes about the value placed on depicting someone of his stature. It's more than just an image. It's carefully crafted propaganda. Editor: I'm struck by the level of detail Duflos achieved with this medium. The texture of the robe, the light catching the star on his chest...you can almost feel the weight of the responsibility he carried. Curator: And that's precisely the intention, isn't it? To convey a sense of authority, spirituality, and worldly power, all through the meticulous manipulation of ink and paper. Editor: It makes you wonder about the engraver, too. What was their relationship to the church, or to Gondy himself? Curator: Good question. Perhaps they understood that even in the finest detail, there is a story of power being constructed. Editor: Yes, every line tells a story about the cultural forces at play.