Portret van Hilaire Clément 1689

This is Jean Louis Roullet's "Portret van Hilaire Clément," a print, probably made shortly after Clément's death in 1686. It is visually dominated by the oval frame, which encloses Clément’s portrait. The frame, inscribed with text, creates a visual boundary, almost like a linguistic structure defining and containing the subject. Clément is depicted with careful attention to detail, yet the texture and shading also suggest a deeper engagement with mortality, given that it was made upon his death. The composition uses the oval frame and its inscription to structure the viewer's perception. The choice of monochrome further strips the image of sensory excess, focusing attention on form and structure. The print’s formal qualities—the starkness of the monochrome, the structuring frame, and the textured portrayal of the subject—collectively transform the image into an exploration of life, death, representation, and the semiotic framing of identity. The visual elements encourage us to interpret the artwork as a site where meaning is constructed, negotiated, and perpetually deferred.