Portret van Lodewijk XIV 1660

Editor: So here we have Francois de Poilly's "Portret van Lodewijk XIV" from 1660, a delicate engraving held at the Rijksmuseum. It feels so...controlled, so deliberate. I'm curious, what kind of stories do you think are hidden behind this royal presentation? Curator: Stories? Oh, my dear, this image *is* a story, isn't it? Every curl, every gleam of armor—they're all carefully chosen words in a propaganda poem. Imagine being Louis XIV, "the Sun King", deciding how you wanted to be seen, and deciding to circulate that image. This isn't just about a face; it's about power, divinity, a carefully crafted legend. It’s Baroque theatricality at its finest, even in print! Doesn't it make you wonder what Louis was truly like *under* all that armor and self-construction? Editor: Absolutely. All that calculated staging seems almost… vulnerable. What did printmaking enable at this point in history, with its accessibility compared to painting? Curator: That's insightful. Engravings like this one acted like social media for the monarchy! Paintings could stay in palaces, but prints? They were portable, reproducible, democratizing even! Every merchant, every official could own an image of their king. It solidified his image, disseminated the ideals, and…dare I say…helped manufacture consent? Do you find this aspect of dissemination powerful? Editor: Massively! It changes how I see the work completely. The print's intention suddenly screams. Curator: Yes! We can glimpse how monarchs saw the emerging influence of media – a perfect instrument, even if not always reliable for full control, as history taught us. It feels oddly…modern, don't you think? The King anticipating and working an image. Editor: Absolutely! I will not be able to view a portrait of Louis XIV the same way ever again. It truly captures a moment of cultural and social transition in the means of disseminating powerful figures' portraiture. Curator: Precisely! The Sun King's brand, distributed far and wide! Another victory, wouldn't you agree?