Plafondschildering in de Grande Galerie van Versailles met het vredesverdrag tussen Frankrijk en Zwitserland 1752

Nicolas Gabriel Dupuis created this print of a ceiling painting in the Grande Galerie of Versailles, commemorating the peace treaty between France and Switzerland. Reflecting the era’s grand political theater, the artwork frames diplomacy through a lens of idealized power and agreement. We see Louis XV extending his hand to a Swiss representative, watched over by allegorical figures symbolizing strength and abundance, yet it is important to consider the nuances of such historical depictions. What is represented here as a noble interaction is of course built upon complex power dynamics, and we can see how such imagery was used to legitimize political relationships. The print invites us to consider how art can serve to shape and reinforce societal structures. It acts as a reminder to think critically about the stories that are visually told. What do they reveal, and what do they conceal?