Franse allegorie waarin Lodewijk XIV zich vergelijkt met de zon, 1672 1672

This allegorical print, made in 1672 by an anonymous artist, employs etching on paper to promote Louis XIV. The choice of printmaking is significant; it allowed for mass production, disseminating the king’s image and associated propaganda to a wide audience. The etching technique itself—using acid to bite lines into a metal plate—mirrors the incisive power Louis sought to project. Note the level of detail achieved. It speaks to the skill of the printmaker, carefully translating the visual message into a reproducible format. The imagery, comparing Louis to the sun, is rendered with precision, while the surrounding text reinforces the message of royal authority. The print functioned within a system of power, where even the means of production, like etching, were harnessed to bolster the king's image and control public perception. It blurs the lines between art, craft, and political tool.