Portret van Louise De La Vallière 1642 - 1678

Nicolas de Larmessin made this print of Louise de la Vallière, sometime after 1674. It encapsulates the public role of images, especially those of women, during the reign of Louis XIV. Louise de la Vallière was a mistress of the King. But in this print, she is represented as a Carmelite nun, an image of piety and religious devotion. This transformation is a visual code, referencing the cultural expectations of women at the time. The print speaks volumes about the social conditions that shaped female identity. The original portrait might have been a political tool, attempting to reconcile Louise's scandalous past with the conservative values of the court. The institutions of the church and the monarchy are both subtly addressed. To understand it better, one might research the prints and publications surrounding women in religious orders in 17th century France, examining how they negotiated the space between public expectation and individual identity. By situating the artwork within its social and institutional context, we can begin to grasp its deeper meaning.