Portrait of Louise Marie, Queen of Poland and Sweden 1653

This is Robert Nanteuil's portrait of Louise Marie, Queen of Poland and Sweden, made using engraving. Nanteuil was the portraitist of the court, capturing likenesses during a time when royal image was carefully crafted and disseminated. Louise Marie’s story offers a compelling look into the intersection of gender and power in the 17th century. As Queen, she wielded considerable influence, navigating the complex political landscape of Europe. Her position, however, was always shaped by the patriarchal structures of the time. The inscription which surrounds her oval portrait reads: "So beautiful, even more, the Divine Louise/On the throne of the North, brilliant with her beauty/She astonished the Sarmatian, and won with her features/Casimir and his Brother, and the Illustrious Monse." This piece reflects a society where a woman's worth, even a queen's, was often measured by her beauty and her ability to influence men. How do you think Louise Marie would have felt about being defined by her beauty rather than her political acumen?