Portret van Lodewijk XIV, koning van Frankrijk 1670 - 1724

This is Jacob Gole's portrait of Louis XIV, King of France, made sometime between 1660 and 1737 using engraving techniques. The composition is dominated by an oval frame that captures the King. The formal arrangement is stark. The texture has been meticulously rendered with precise lines. Gole's engraving offers insight into how power was visually constructed during Louis XIV's reign. The King is framed by text that speaks to strategies of division. This reflects broader philosophical concerns of the period, where stability and order were often maintained through carefully managed discord. Semiotically, the crown and royal garments are signs of authority, yet the surrounding text subtly undermines the stability they project. Notice how Gole uses the structure of the portrait—its composition, frame, and textual elements—to engage with a complex interplay of power, unity, and division. It reminds us that portraits do not merely represent; they actively participate in constructing meaning and shaping perceptions.