The Coronation Sacrifice c. 1610 - 1627

"The Coronation Sacrifice" is a tapestry made by Laurent Guyot sometime around the late 18th century. Tapestries like this one were more than just decorative; they were powerful signifiers of wealth and status, adorning the walls of the elite. Guyot presents a scene of ritual sacrifice, with figures draped in classical garb. The act of sacrifice, often involving animals, was a way to seek favor from the gods or legitimize power. What does it mean to display this? The tapestry shows the bodies of idealized figures. The way the figures are rendered—smooth, fair-skinned, and seemingly ageless—speaks to a very specific, and exclusionary, concept of beauty. This is a world that's carefully curated, where power, beauty, and ritual intertwine, reinforcing existing social structures. As we consider this tapestry, we might reflect on what sacrifices, literal or symbolic, we continue to make in the name of power and tradition.