Title Page with a Bouquet of Peonies c. 1670

Jacques Bailly created this title page with a bouquet of peonies using etching in the mid-17th century. Its dedication "to the Glory" suggests it was not just a commercial piece, but also a statement about the power of art to elevate and immortalize its subject. Made in France during the reign of Louis XIV, this image reflects the absolutist court's taste for luxury and its use of art to project power. The prominent display of the artist’s name, along with the phrase "gravees et grauees Peintre du Roy," signals the importance of royal patronage in the art world of the time. Artists like Bailly depended on the king's favor and membership in institutions like the Académie Royale. The meticulous detail and idealized beauty of the flowers speak to a culture that prized both scientific accuracy and aesthetic refinement. To understand this piece fully, we might consult period horticultural manuals and records of royal commissions. In doing so, we reveal how art is always embedded in the social and institutional contexts of its creation.