Louis Philippe I, King of the French c. 19th century

Curator: This is François Eugène Augustin Bridoux's portrait of Louis Philippe I, King of the French. Editor: Ah, yes, the "Citizen King"! He looks every bit the proper bourgeois monarch, doesn't he? The gravitas is palpable. Curator: The symbols are carefully deployed. Note the crown resting casually on the table, almost within reach, yet distanced from him. Bridoux captures the complexities of his reign. Editor: And all that finery! The decorations... the ermine... it's an image of power carefully constructed, yet somehow feels... vulnerable? Perhaps it's the soft light on his face. Curator: Perhaps. Or perhaps it's the memory of the revolutions swirling around him, a king always aware of his tenuous hold. Editor: Right! Well, whatever Bridoux was going for, the portrait's power still resonates. Curator: It certainly gives us plenty to think about.