Portret van Louis Marie de Lahaye de Cormenin 1848 - 1849

Curator: This is a lithograph portrait of Louis Marie de Lahaye, Vicomte de Cormenin, created between 1848 and 1849 by Bernard Romain Julien. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the gravitas. Even though it's a print, it feels like a formal declaration of something important. The detailed rendering of his suit, and even his slightly receding hairline, it all adds to that somber mood. Curator: Julien situates de Cormenin within the tumultuous political landscape of mid-19th century France, a period marked by revolution and shifting social orders. How might we interpret this image within debates surrounding representation and power? Editor: The carefully etched details surrounding the medal, for example. Badges and insignias like this have always signaled a certain status, a specific allegiance, I see it operating here like an old heraldic emblem declaring not just identity, but deeply held values. What about you? Curator: I see an echo of revolutionary ideals, oddly enough. It is a representation, ostensibly of power and position, but consider that the portrait coincides with a wave of popular movements, making you wonder about the sitter's involvement within broader calls for justice, in this new era, and the weight his name might have carried then. Editor: Absolutely. And in that vein, observe his direct gaze. It is not an inviting gaze, necessarily, but it suggests accountability and authority... It connects back to the symbols and position of power embedded in the print. This makes me wonder how much was de Cormenin trying to present and represent himself in this print? Curator: Yes! And doesn’t this reading, of a print created and consumed during significant socio-political transition, offer an alternative entry point into academic and traditional representational portraiture? Editor: Yes, the power dynamics, clearly represented are hard to escape, and the symbolism embedded is just, as relevant as ever. Thank you. Curator: It offers us a glimpse into the complex layers of historical narratives surrounding the very formation of modern, French society and political power during this particular time. Thanks!