Optocht met de kist van Lodewijk IX de Heilige naar de Saint-Denisbasiliek 1679 - 1728

Editor: This print, made by Jean-Baptiste de Poilly between 1679 and 1728, depicts a procession with the coffin of Louis IX. It’s striking how the figures in the foreground are rendered with so much detail, while the crowd in the distance becomes just a series of white shapes. What elements stand out to you? Curator: The choice of engraving, and its capacity for linear detail, is significant here. Think about the sheer labor involved in producing this print, and in potentially producing it at scale. This wasn't simply about capturing a moment, but about manufacturing a vision of royal power and saintly piety for wider consumption. Editor: So, the material itself speaks to power? Curator: Precisely. The material speaks of distribution and perpetuation. Who had access to this imagery? How did its circulation reinforce hierarchies? Notice, too, the *kind* of labour represented, not just in the making of the artwork itself, but also the labour *within* the image—the visible strain of the coffin bearers contrasting with the passive grief of the onlookers. Editor: I hadn’t considered that. It really reframes the scene to consider the differing physical exertion, almost an embodied form of class difference represented here through posture and position within the composition. Curator: And look closely at the Basilica. Why represent it? Its architecture would involve masons, glaziers, and countless other labourers. Think about how religious structures serve both as sites of faith and monumental demonstrations of socio-economic power. It shows us who controls both the narrative, and the physical landscape. Editor: So much information embedded in a single print. I hadn't thought about the process of printmaking and the architectural construction as forms of labour integral to the subject of the piece itself. Curator: Exactly! Focusing on the material realities brings a new richness to how we view art.