Portret van Gaspard de Coligny 1788

Reinier Vinkeles created this portrait of Gaspard de Coligny in etching around the late 18th century, a period marked by significant political and social upheaval in Europe. Coligny, a 16th-century French nobleman and admiral, became a prominent figure in the French Wars of Religion as a leader of the Huguenots. Vinkeles, working over two centuries later, invokes Coligny at a time when the enlightenment was challenging traditional hierarchies. The choice to portray Coligny, a man who stood against established power, suggests an alignment with emergent ideas of religious freedom and individual conscience. Consider the emotional weight of Coligny's legacy. He was eventually assassinated during the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, a brutal moment in the history of religious conflict. This etching then, does more than just depict a historical figure; it invites reflection on themes of power, resistance, and the enduring human cost of ideological struggle. The image serves as a reminder of the complexities of identity, belief, and the price of dissent.