Vue du Bassin de Latone Prise du Bord de la Terrasse du Chateau 

Jean-Baptiste Rigaud's print offers a glimpse into the meticulously designed gardens of a French chateau, capturing a scene of leisure and social display. Created during a time of rigid social hierarchies, the artwork showcases the culture of the French aristocracy. The elaborate gardens and the figures strolling within them speak volumes about power, wealth, and the performance of identity. The print invites reflection on the lives of the privileged classes, whilst the lives of the working class go unmentioned and unacknowledged. Rigaud’s depiction of figures in the garden, carefully arranged and elegantly attired, suggests a society preoccupied with appearances and status. There's an emotional distance in the portrayal, an emphasis on formality over intimacy, which mirrors the social expectations of the time. The print evokes a sense of detachment, inviting us to consider the complex interplay between beauty, power, and social inequality.