Graftombe in Trimouille 1790

Francois Philippe Charpentier made this print of the Tomb of la Trimouille sometime in the late 18th century. It depicts an elaborate tomb structure, complete with columns, ornamentation, and a life-size statue of the interred. Charpentier was active in a France still governed by aristocratic privilege and deeply entrenched social hierarchies. As such, death became another opportunity to emphasize social rank. Tombs like this one allowed aristocratic families to visually perpetuate their power and status even after death. This print offers insight into the cultural values of late 18th-century France, revealing the importance placed on lineage, status, and the performance of power through visual display. By studying such images alongside genealogical records, architectural surveys, and even etiquette manuals, we can better understand how art both reflected and reinforced social hierarchies.