Portret van René-Aubert Vertot c. 1755

This is an engraving of René-Aubert Vertot by C. Mathey, made sometime in the 1700s. Vertot was a member of the Académie des Belles-Lettres. This portrait makes a statement about the institutional function of art in the France of its time. It uses visual codes to communicate Vertot's status. Consider his elaborate wig and the insignia of scholarship and status. His image is framed in an oval, like a classical bust, and set above a plaque complete with heraldic crest. These features create a formal and idealized impression. Institutions like the Académie played a key role in shaping artistic taste and production. They promoted particular styles and subjects, and they provided artists with patronage and recognition. To understand this image better, we can research the history of the Académie des Belles-Lettres and the role it played in shaping French culture and intellectual life.