Servet met Lodewijk XIV c. 1670

This cotton damask napkin depicts Louis XIV through a dense, almost dizzying array of emblems and inscriptions in white on a light ground. Note how the symmetrical composition is structured around hierarchical tiers of symbols. These include royal crests and Latin text, all woven with remarkable precision. The texture, though seemingly uniform, invites closer inspection to reveal the intricate craftsmanship that defines the piece. The use of damask weaving here is not merely decorative; it's a strategic choice, embedding power within the fabric itself. The textile, therefore, becomes a carrier of meaning, and its display, whether on a table or viewed as an art object, is a performance of power. In this context, the napkin is less about utility and more about the semiotic display of royal authority.