Portret van Lodewijk XVIII, koning van Frankrijk 1838 - 1841

Louis Gustave Thibault created this portrait of Louis XVIII, King of France, using engraving. Consider the historical backdrop against which Louis XVIII ascended to power, following the tumultuous French Revolution and Napoleonic era. Portraits of monarchs often functioned as tools of statecraft, reinforcing the legitimacy and grandeur of the ruling class. Here, Louis XVIII is adorned in ermine and fleur-de-lis robes, symbols of royal authority and divine right. Yet, in the aftermath of revolution, such displays of opulence could be perceived as deeply ambivalent, alienating the common people. The portrait straddles tradition and political necessity. How might such imagery have played among a populace weary of aristocratic privilege? The image, like the monarchy, had to negotiate between past grandeur and a future shaped by revolutionary ideals. It is a glimpse into a society grappling with its identity, seeking to reconcile monarchy with the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity.