Coronation of Louis VI 1460

Jean Fouquet made this painting of the Coronation of Louis VI sometime in the mid-fifteenth century. This image emphasizes the grandeur and solemnity of royal power. Fouquet’s visual style is characterized by an emphasis on linear perspective, which had become newly fashionable. The image creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. The coronation of Louis VI took place in France. The cathedral, city walls, army and tents create a complex spatial arrangement. There is a contrast between the sacred ritual within the cathedral and the secular world outside. The role of the historian is vital to understanding that the meaning of this artwork is contingent on its social and institutional context. We use documentary research to see how the image might have shaped or reflected political and cultural values.