Portret van Luis de la Puente 1715 - 1797

Joseph Anton Zimmermann created this print of Luis de la Puente in the 18th century. It presents us with the visual codes of the Catholic Church and the Society of Jesus. De la Puente, as a member of the clergy, wears the garb of his office, and he is posed as a figure of scholarly authority, holding a book. The image creates meaning through its inscription within an ornamental frame, which elevates de la Puente’s status. The symbolic IHS emblem—a monogram of Jesus Christ— emblazoned on his chest, reinforces his religious significance. Consider the historical associations: printed images like this circulated widely, reinforcing religious doctrine and personal virtue. The portrait style itself invokes power through its allusions to secular portraiture, with the ornamental frame a clear indicator of the institutional validation of de la Puente. To understand this print better, we might research the history of religious orders in the region and the role of printed images in disseminating religious ideology. Art is always contingent on social and institutional contexts.