Antoine 9th Duke of Gramont, (1789-1855), Prince of Bidache, Grand Officer of the Légion D'honneur, Knight of Saint Louis, Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Saint Maurice and Saint Lazare, Lieutenant General of the King's Army 

François Gérard painted this portrait of Antoine, 9th Duke of Gramont, sometime in the early 19th century. A prominent figure in French society, Gramont held numerous titles, as you can see from the elaborate decorations that adorn his military attire. Gérard, a celebrated portraitist, navigates the complex terrain of post-revolutionary France, where aristocratic identity was both valorized and questioned. In this context, the portrait can be viewed as an exercise in carefully reconstructing nobility. The opulence on display—the gold braid, the medals, the fine tailoring—speaks to the enduring power and privilege of the aristocracy, yet it also invites consideration of the social and economic disparities of the time. How does Gramont’s image uphold or challenge traditional representations of power? Consider the emotional weight carried by such displays of status, and who is included or excluded from them.