Portret van Henri-Oswald de La Tour d'Auvergne 1749

Claude Drevet’s portrait of Henri-Oswald de La Tour d'Auvergne is an engraving, a reproduction of an original portrait made to circulate the Cardinal’s image. This image is all about communicating power. Made in France, likely in the 18th century, the Cardinal’s status is communicated through the symbols of his offices and the trappings of wealth, such as his fur-lined robe. The background reveals a Catholic cross, and the written inscription describes him as an Archbishop and Abbot. This portrait is a form of institutional messaging, designed to communicate authority. Portraits of the elite circulated widely in this period, reinforcing a rigid social hierarchy. To understand art like this, we look to sources from the time, such as letters, diaries, and other images. By placing artworks within their institutional, social and cultural contexts, we learn how art has been used to shape society.