Gezicht op het Bassin de Neptune in de Tuin van Versailles after 1691

Jacques Rigaud’s print depicts the Bassin de Neptune in the Garden of Versailles, a dazzling display of power and artistry. In the 18th century, Versailles was not just a palace, but the epicenter of French political and cultural life, embodying the absolute power of Louis XIV and the rigid social hierarchy of the time. Rigaud’s print captures the splendor and the spectacle of the royal gardens. Yet, it's impossible to ignore the stark contrast between the opulence on display and the lives of the common people who bore the economic burden of such extravagance. What does it mean to create and circulate images of such blatant luxury? Rigaud's print invites us to reflect on the power dynamics embedded in Versailles and the very act of viewing it. It serves as a poignant reminder of the complex interplay between art, power, and social inequality.