Portret van Lodewijk XVI, koning van Frankrijk Possibly 1793 - 1797

Editor: Here we have a print, probably from between 1793 and 1797, titled *Portret van Lodewijk XVI, koning van Frankrijk*, or *Portrait of Louis XVI, King of France* by James Daniell. The grey scale creates a somber, dignified mood. What stands out to you when you look at this work? Curator: You know, the very air around a portrait like this hums with history. It's hard to see Louis, resplendent in his finery, without the shadow of the guillotine looming. This image, printed during or just after his execution, becomes a complicated object. It's a portrait, yes, aiming for a certain kind of immortality, but also a relic of a fallen world. I see an attempt to enshrine, maybe even mythologize, a man whose earthly reign was so violently cut short. Do you notice how crisp and clean the lines are? It's a style called Neoclassicism. Editor: It does seem odd to idealize someone right after... everything. Was this a common approach? Curator: Odd, certainly, but Neoclassicism often looked to the past, to the order and perceived rationality of the Roman Republic, during times of upheaval. Perhaps it was an attempt to impose order onto chaos, to frame Louis as a tragic hero rather than a failed monarch. Or maybe it was simply a way to make money during times of instability! Editor: So, it's less about accurate depiction and more about… storytelling, almost? Curator: Precisely! And that, my dear, is the magic trick all portraiture performs, isn’t it? I find myself wondering what someone living through the Revolution might have thought looking at this, what feelings might churn while gazing at Louis's face in shades of grey... a life turned sepia-toned, a king turned a ghost. Editor: This has certainly shifted my perspective. I thought it was just a formal portrait, but it's so much more loaded than that. Thanks for unraveling the story behind the image.