Vaas gedragen door twee naakte mannen 1648 - 1655

Jean Lepautre made this print, "Vase Carried by Two Nude Men," in France, most likely during the 17th century. Lepautre was an ornamental designer and engraver, attached to the court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. This print offers a glimpse into the visual culture that underpinned the rituals of power in early modern Europe. The image presents a massive vase teeming with figures from classical mythology, borne aloft by two nude men. The vase itself is not so much a functional object but an opportunity for the display of the sculptor's art. The print depicts it as a theatrical prop, set within a palatial interior. This helps us understand the critical role of art in constructing the image of absolute monarchy. Historians can use inventories of the royal collections to better understand the function of objects like these. The symbolic language and function of art is contingent on social and institutional contexts.