Portret van Ulrich Zwingli 1784

This is François Hubert’s portrait of Ulrich Zwingli, made in printmaking technique. Enclosed in a simple oval, Zwingli is depicted in profile, his sober attire and hat marking him as a man of the church, a reformer. Consider the profile view itself. It echoes ancient coins and busts of emperors. It also presents a carefully constructed image. In Renaissance portraiture, the profile often signified virtue and intellect. This conscious revival of classical forms speaks to the enduring human desire to connect with the past, to legitimize the present through the echoes of antiquity. The hat, a seemingly simple piece of clothing, has roots as a symbol of status and religious identity. This image is designed to project authority and piety. Such symbols resonate deeply within our collective memory. This image speaks to us not just as a depiction of an individual, but as a vessel carrying centuries of cultural meaning.