Portret van Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart 1670 - 1724

Jacob Gole made this portrait of Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart using etching. The image shows us how portraits of the time performed important social functions. Here we see Madame de Montespan, mistress to Louis XIV, depicted in the height of fashion, but we should remember that this aesthetic was carefully constructed. The King and his court were obsessed with appearances, and portraiture was a way to reinforce social hierarchies. This print, made in the Netherlands, circulates an image of French power. The visual codes here—the elaborate hairstyle and the revealing dress—speak to the privileges enjoyed by the sitter, her rank affording her a prominent place within the court. By studying sources such as court documents, letters, and fashion plates, the historian builds up a picture of the social and institutional context surrounding the artwork and better understands the politics of imagery.