Louis XI, roi de France 1605 - 1650

Editor: So, this print is entitled "Louis XI, roi de France," it's a drawing rendered as print, dating from somewhere between 1605 and 1650 and currently residing at the Met. I'm struck by its formal, almost severe quality. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It's easy to see this as just a portrait of a king, but let’s think about what it means to create and circulate images of power. The production of such prints at this time becomes a way of standardizing and disseminating ideas about French identity and monarchical power. Consider Louis XI’s rather… distinctive features and how the artist chooses to represent them. Do you think this image seeks to flatter, or does it aim for something else? Editor: I see what you mean. I guess I hadn't really considered what choices went into making him look a certain way. Maybe it's less about pure flattery and more about crafting a specific image of the French monarchy? One rooted in realism? Curator: Precisely. What power structures does this imagery reinforce or challenge? The artist is working within very specific cultural and political frameworks. It reflects and helps constitute, these hierarchies, and also the perceived importance of French history, leadership, and even physiognomy. The question of realism is very interesting too – it gets into questions about truth, representation, and ideology. Editor: It makes you think about how even something that looks like a straightforward portrait is actually communicating a whole set of ideas about power, identity, and nationhood. I had never thought of it like that. Thank you. Curator: Absolutely, looking at art in this way really broadens its relevance, even when looking at someone who held all the power at that time.