Portret van bisschop Alessandro Sperelli 1666 - 1679

This is Albertus Clouwet's portrait of Bishop Alessandro Sperelli, an engraving made in the Netherlands in the second half of the 17th century. Clouwet's image offers insights into the visual culture surrounding powerful religious figures of the time, and the role of the church within society. Portraits like this one used visual codes to communicate the subject's status. Sperelli is framed by an ornamental cartouche, including his coat of arms and the symbols of his office. The image thus presents Sperelli not just as an individual, but as an embodiment of religious authority. By looking at these elements, and researching the historical context of Sperelli's life and career, we can learn a great deal about the social and institutional history of the Catholic Church in this period. The meaning of such an image is contingent on this wider social and institutional context.