Portret van Thomas Wolsey 1667 - 1709

Johann Christoph Boecklin's 'Portret van Thomas Wolsey' captures the ecclesiastic in an oval frame, achieved through engraving, a process which favors precision. The crisp lines and detailed hatching give texture to Wolsey's robes and face. The composition is structured around the contrast between the curves of the oval and the right angles of the base upon which the portrait sits. Here, a heraldic crest and Latin inscriptions frame the central image. Boecklin orchestrates a dialogue between form and content to present Wolsey as both a historical figure and a symbolic entity. The formal elements guide our perception. The oval isolates Wolsey, turning him into an emblem, while the architectural base anchors him in a tradition of power. The graphic language of the engraving, therefore, is not just a technique but a system of signs. This provokes a deeper questioning of representation itself. Is the artwork designed to commemorate Wolsey or to dissect the very notion of authority?