Jacques Nicolas Colbert c. 18th century

Curator: Looking at this image, I see an air of serious formality, a man framed within an oval as if he's observing us from a great distance. Editor: Yes, this is Pierre Drevet's portrait of Jacques Nicolas Colbert, Archbishop of Rouen, preserved at the Harvard Art Museums. It is a study in power, isn't it? The lettering around the oval and the crest below speak of position and lineage. Curator: Absolutely, the composition feels stately, very much of its time. But I sense a vulnerability too, something quite human behind the clerical garb. Editor: The portrait embodies the 17th-century construction of power and identity through visual representation. Colbert, like other elites, used images to solidify his place in society. Curator: It’s that delicate balance between the official face and the flicker of something else that intrigues me. Editor: Art always exists in relation to power, doesn't it? From those who commission it to those who interpret it centuries later. Curator: A compelling thought to carry as we move on.