Le Chevalier Dupetit-Thouars

Jules Boilly made this print of Le Chevalier Dupetit-Thouars in France. The image celebrates Dupetit-Thouars, a member of the Institut Royal de France, but it’s also very much a product of the institute itself. The institute was a key institution in post-revolutionary France. Successive regimes had used institutions like this to rebuild French cultural life. They fostered the arts and sciences but also served as centers for consolidating political power. Boilly’s portrait subtly reinforces this dynamic. The sober, meticulous style presents Dupetit-Thouars as a serious, respectable figure, reflecting the institute's values. At the same time, the print’s very existence promotes the institute's prestige, creating a kind of feedback loop between the institution and its members. Understanding this print means looking at archival sources. We can ask, how did the institute function? And what role did images play in shaping its identity and influence?