Portret van Pierre Ignace Regnauld d'Epercy 1790

This print, made by Antoine Carrée, depicts Pierre Ignace Regnauld d'Epercy within an oval frame, a symbol of eternity and the cyclical nature of time. Note the ribbon and medallion just below—objects often associated with honor and status, yet here they appear almost like vestigial organs, remnants of a bygone era. Consider how such frames have recurred through history. From ancient Roman portraiture to Renaissance medals, they serve not only to isolate the individual but also to elevate them, placing them within a symbolic lineage. Think of the cameo, a miniature world encapsulated in stone, its form echoing this very composition. However, the ribbon's seeming neglect, its almost listless droop, hints at a deeper psychological tension. Is this an intentional subversion, a subtle commentary on the vanity of earthly honors? Or is it merely an unconscious reflection of the anxieties of a society on the cusp of revolution? The persistence of such symbols reminds us that history is not linear but a continuous loop. Like the ouroboros, the snake that eats its own tail, the past constantly resurfaces, transformed yet eternally present in the collective psyche.