Louis XIV Bestowing the Cordon Bleu on the Infant Duc de Bourgogne 1729

Editor: So, this print, "Louis XIV Bestowing the Cordon Bleu on the Infant Duc de Bourgogne," dates back to 1729. It's a flurry of lines, created with etching and engraving. I find it… curiously staged. It feels less like a snapshot of history and more like a meticulously constructed performance. What do you make of it? Curator: Oh, the "performance" is precisely the point! Think of it as royal PR, centuries before Instagram. This isn’t just a depiction; it’s a declaration. The baroque style, with its grandeur and ornamentation, amplifies the King's power. Consider how the light illuminates Louis XIV, the very image of authority. It's a strategic visual argument, isn't it? He is legitimizing his line through spectacle and symbolism. Almost…theatrical? Editor: Definitely theatrical. So, beyond the obvious promotion of royal power, are there other nuances we should be picking up on? I am thinking specifically about why produce this scene as an engraving/etching? Curator: Yes, consider that engravings, as printed material, spread narratives much faster than singular painted versions; so, yes, royal propaganda printed en masse. The etching allows for that gorgeous detail in the costumes. Ask yourself, what do those specific garments suggest about status, wealth, taste, privilege, right? Think of it less as an isolated artwork and more like a meme– it had to go viral. Did it succeed, do you think? Editor: Well, here we are, talking about it centuries later. So I guess it kind of did. I hadn't considered the distribution aspect so explicitly. It makes total sense. Curator: Exactly! It’s a multi-layered creation – history, art, propaganda all intertwined. Keep peeling those layers and asking 'why' to what you see, and you'll discover an art history far beyond aesthetics alone. It's a story being told through the etching, and in every royal pose.