Portret van Lodewijk van Frankrijk, hertog van Bourgondië 1675 - 1707

Gérard Edelinck made this print of Louis of France, Duke of Burgundy, using burin and etching techniques. The image creates meaning through visual codes typical of royal portraiture in France. Note the armor, meant to convey strength and leadership. Also, take note of the oval frame, this shape was often chosen to represent an ideal form of the sitter. It is interesting to consider how these images were used by the institutions of the French court. Were these images intended for wide distribution, or were they more private symbols of power and prestige? To understand this portrait better, you might research the history of the French monarchy, the conventions of royal portraiture, and the role of printmaking in disseminating images of power. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.