Portrait of Armand-Jean du Plessis, Cardinal de Richelieu
about 1632-1634
Meet one of the most powerful men in 17th-century France, Cardinal Richelieu, captured here in his striking red robes and distinctive hat. Simon Vouet, the artist who basically brought the Italian Baroque style to France, gives the Cardinal a surprisingly approachable look, complete with a stylish mustache and goatee. Notice how he's casually holding a small piece of paper? That's likely a letter or note, hinting at his role as a master politician and statesman who was always busy running the country behind the scenes for King Louis XIII.
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