Portrait of Jacques Bénigne Bossuet (1627-1704)
ca. 1880-1890
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-94-193
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This evocative print, *Portrait of Jacques Bén Bossuet (1627-1704)*, captures likeness of one of France's most influential17th-century intellectuals. Bossuet, a renowned bishop, orator, and tutor to XIV's son the Dauphin, was celebrated for his eloquent sermons and writings on history and theology, including his *History of the Variations of the Protestant Churches*. Created around 1880-1890 by Italian artist Salvatori, active during that late 19th-century period, this work reflects a renewed European fascination with Enlightenment-era figures amid growing interest in religious and intellectua...