Portret van Pierre Gouello de Queriolet 1663

This engraving from 1663 by Pierre Landry depicts Pierre Gouello de Queriolet, a priest and councillor of the Parliament of Rennes, France. The portrait gives us insight into the social and religious structures of 17th-century France. De Queriolet's attire, the somber clerical robe, and the formal setting of the portrait, all point to his position within the Catholic Church and the legal system. France at this time was under the rule of Louis XIV, and was a society defined by its strict social hierarchy and the significant influence of the Church. The Parliament of Rennes, where de Queriolet served, played a crucial role in regional governance. To truly understand this image, one could delve deeper into the archives of the Parliament of Rennes and the records of the Carmelite convent where he died. Such research would illuminate the complex interplay of religious, political, and social forces that shaped individuals like de Queriolet, and the world they inhabited.