Portret van Samuel Bochart 1663

René Lochon made this print of Samuel Bochart sometime around 1667. Bochart was a protestant theologian, orientalist, and linguist in a time when religious and intellectual identities were intensely intertwined with political power. Notice how the print presents Bochart as a figure of immense knowledge and accomplishment, celebrated for his mastery of languages from Arabic to Latin. The inscription praises him as a rare genius, admired by both his homeland and the world. The visual and textual elements combine to construct an image of a scholar deeply rooted in classical and oriental studies, reflecting the 17th century's fascination with antiquity and its engagement with non-European cultures through the lens of religious and linguistic scholarship. Yet, such a representation also subtly reinforces a Eurocentric view, where the value of other cultures is measured by their contribution to European knowledge. Consider how portraits like this not only capture the likeness of an individual, but also project a vision of intellectual authority and cultural identity that was very much a product of its time.