Louis XIV 1661

Editor: This is Robert Nanteuil's 1661 engraving of Louis XIV, held at the Metropolitan Museum. I’m struck by how regal it feels, even in monochrome. All those symbols around the portrait...what do you make of it? Curator: The frame itself speaks volumes. Notice how the olive branches intertwine with scales of justice and weapons, draped beneath the royal crown. This carefully constructed image insists on Louis XIV's authority, linking peace and justice with his divinely sanctioned rule. Editor: Divinely sanctioned? Is that the meaning of "Dei Gratia" in the inscription? Curator: Precisely. "By the Grace of God." This wasn't just a portrait, it was propaganda, carefully crafting Louis' image as the Sun King, chosen by God to rule. The very act of framing him within laurel wreaths pulls from the iconography of Roman emperors, echoing their power and victories. Look at the sceptre capped with the *Main de Justice*. Editor: Yes, it's very distinctive. What is the *Main de Justice*? Curator: A symbolic hand, granting power directly from the King, a representation of God on earth. Consider the psychological effect these repeated motifs would have had. Everything conspires to amplify Louis' aura. Even his fashionable wig acts as a symbol of prosperity, abundance and control. Editor: It’s clever, layering those symbols so densely. I guess I’d initially just seen a portrait of an important person, but it's actually a statement of power. Curator: Indeed. Every element carefully orchestrated, revealing the weight of cultural memory and the desired continuity of the French monarchy. We see power, projected through image.