Henry II, Most Christian King of France c. 1555

Editor: So, this is Battista Angolo del Moro's engraving of "Henry II, Most Christian King of France." It’s intensely detailed, almost dreamlike with all the figures. How do you even begin to interpret something like this? Curator: It's a fascinating dance between power and allegory, isn't it? Look at the way Henry's portrait is framed – almost swallowed by classical figures and symbols. It's like the artist is saying, "Here's the man, but here's also the *idea* of the King.” It makes me wonder, who was he trying to impress? And what aspects of Henry's reign are being glorified or maybe even subtly questioned? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way! It's more than just a portrait, it's a whole statement about kingship and image. Curator: Precisely. And sometimes, the most interesting stories are hiding just beneath the surface of those very controlled, regal images. Makes you want to dig deeper, right?