Portret van Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, baron d'Aubonne 1801

This stipple engraving portraying Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, baron d'Aubonne, was crafted by Johann Friedrich Bolt in the late 18th or early 19th century. Note how the oval frame containing the portrait is itself a motif, one that echoes the classical world, where portrait busts were often presented in similar frames. The frame, reminiscent of an ancient coin or cameo, suggests the sitter's enduring presence beyond his physical life. We see this impulse across time, from the sculpted portraits of Roman emperors to the Renaissance revival of classical forms. Consider how this impulse manifests in funerary art, perpetuating a connection between the living and the dead. The oval is a symbol of the eternal and the infinite, evoking a sense of timelessness. Such compositions tap into a deep-seated human desire for immortality, engaging viewers on a subconscious level. This symbol has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.