The King of Rome c. 19th century

Curator: Here, we see Auguste Gaspard Louis Boucher Desnoyers’ print, "The King of Rome," currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The starkness of the monochrome really emphasizes the child’s almost doll-like stillness, a portrait of power, oddly fragile. Curator: Indeed. It's important to remember the social context: this image serves as propaganda, imbuing Napoleon's son with the weight of dynastic expectation. It's about legitimizing power. Editor: And how interesting, the craft behind this political piece. Look at the detail in the etching—the layering of line to create depth and shadow in the velvet cushion. Curator: It’s about power, but also anxieties around succession. The symbols—the wreath, the imperial ‘N’—speak to a lineage of dominance. But can it really be inherited? Editor: The materiality and the process of the printmaking— the labor involved in producing multiple copies—speaks to the intent of mass dissemination. Curator: Absolutely. It speaks volumes about the construction of identity, the expectations placed upon this child. Editor: I appreciate the way it makes me consider the labor involved in making political imagery. Curator: And I see it as a potent reminder of the complex narratives surrounding power, gender, and inheritance.