François Marie De Broglie 

Hyacinthe Rigaud painted this oil on canvas portrait of François Marie De Broglie in France sometime in the late 17th or early 18th century. Rigaud was a master of the French Baroque portrait, and his depictions of nobles like De Broglie reveal much about the politics of imagery at that time. De Broglie's stern, yet soft facial features and elaborate wig, coupled with the trappings of military armor and a royal blue sash, speak to the subject’s aristocratic status. Rigaud was known for flattering his subjects while still conveying a sense of their social standing. This portrait subtly reinforces the authority of the French nobility and its connection to the monarchy. To understand this image better, we can consult historical records, letters, and other archival material to illuminate the social conditions that shaped its creation and the institutions that supported artists like Rigaud. We can consider the ways in which art served to uphold or challenge the existing social order.