Jean-Paul Bignon c. 17th century

Curator: This is Gérard Edelinck's portrait of Jean-Paul Bignon, currently residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Oh, he looks so self-assured, doesn't he? Almost smug. And those robes! They just ooze power and privilege. Curator: Indeed. Bignon was a significant figure—a powerful clergyman, abbot, and influential advisor to Louis XIV. The portrait reflects that status, of course. Editor: I can almost feel the weight of all those leather-bound books behind him. Knowledge and power, so intertwined back then... and now, perhaps? Curator: The composition places him firmly within the intellectual and religious elite, but his gaze, perhaps, hints at the complexities of navigating those power structures. Editor: It makes you wonder about the cost of that privilege, doesn't it? What compromises were made to achieve such a position? Curator: Absolutely. Edelinck's work provides a window into the intersection of power, religion, and representation in the 17th century. Editor: Right, thanks for making me see this from a different angle. I'm going to go and think about that smug look for a while.