Portret van Kardinaal de Richelieu before 1836

This print by Chrétien portrays Cardinal de Richelieu and resides in the Rijksmuseum. The Cardinal is shown in all his finery of office. But portraits like this are always more than simple records. What are the politics of such an image? Consider the time in which it was made. France, most likely in the 17th century, was a society of strict hierarchy and centralised power. Catholicism was the state religion and Richelieu used his religious position to reinforce royal power. We see this here in the trappings of his office. They give Richelieu status and communicate that status to others. What interests us as historians of art is that portraits like this are rarely neutral. They are tools in the maintenance of power. A deep understanding of the social context is vital when interpreting images like these. We should study the letters, documents, and institutions that were part of the world in which this image was made.