Aankomst van Lodewijk XVI in Parijs op 17 juli 1789 1792 - 1849

This etching by François Louis Couché depicts the arrival of Louis XVI in Paris on July 17, 1789, a pivotal moment in the early days of the French Revolution. Created sometime between then and 1849, the work captures a symbolic moment of transition. The print offers insight into the complex relationship between the monarchy and its subjects. In the wake of the storming of the Bastille, Louis's return to Paris was framed as a gesture of reconciliation, yet it also underscored the shifting power dynamics. The composition, with its emphasis on the crowd and the somewhat subdued figure of the king, subtly conveys this sense of change. There is tension between the old order and the emerging revolutionary fervor. Couché’s work prompts us to consider how identity and authority are negotiated during times of upheaval. What does it mean to be a king stripped of absolute power? What does it mean to be a citizen forging a new national identity? The print serves not only as a historical record but also as a reflection on the evolving nature of power, belonging, and collective identity.