Portret van Lodewijk VIII 1812 - 1869

Curator: Up next is a print entitled "Portret van Lodewijk VIII" made sometime between 1812 and 1869 by Jacques Etienne Pannier. It appears to be an engraving on paper. Editor: It strikes me as surprisingly austere, considering it's a portrait of a king. There's a coolness to the rendering of his face, almost detached. The line work, though delicate, contributes to this feeling. Curator: The realism of the portrait combined with the engraving style nods towards academic art and perhaps seeks to portray Louis VIII in a light that legitimizes his authority through the visual language of history. Think of this print as a piece of political propaganda. Editor: Yes, but what symbols are in use? Notice the fleur-de-lis patterned across his mantle, or the regalia he holds. These wouldn’t be chosen lightly. The symbols link Louis back to his dynastic predecessors, an assertion of power by lineage. The cold rendering I see now as calculated, as an emotionless projection of stability. Curator: Precisely, every element is controlled to contribute to this particular historical narrative of the monarchy. This ties directly into its public role; dissemination of royal power through printed images available to wider audiences, especially at a time when France was recovering from revolution. Editor: So much of understanding imagery is unpacking cultural memory. Even in this relatively straightforward depiction, symbols speak to a collective understanding of power, kingship, and national identity. What does it mean to present Louis VIII in this specific way to the early 19th-century public? Curator: Indeed. Looking at how the public receives these kinds of artworks really illuminates how deeply engrained visual and historical conventions are, and how effectively they function as endorsements. This artwork is more than meets the eye. Editor: I've gained a greater sense of just how much weight seemingly simple symbols can bear. Curator: I concur. It’s imperative we constantly reassess how institutional power uses art, as this instance suggests.