Portret van Rafael Cotoner 1726

This engraving, made by Laurent Cars sometime around the mid-18th century, depicts Rafael Cotoner, a Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, an important Catholic military order. The image presents Cotoner bust-length, encased within an oval frame, reinforcing the idea of the artwork as a commemorative object. We can see the codes of status and power, like the imposing armour. Underneath the portrait is an ornamented plinth with an escutcheon. The text looping around the image proclaims his title and the date ‘1660’. The cultural history of Europe at this time was dominated by powerful dynasties and religious institutions. Cotoner was part of this elite, which makes this a work that's conscious of its own conservative role, representing and reinforcing existing social hierarchies. Historians rely on material culture such as portraits, architecture, and engravings to piece together the beliefs and power structures of the past.