Portret van Lodewijk XV, koning van Frankrijk 1731 - 1788

Johann Esaias Nilson created this print of Louis XV, King of France. The King is portrayed within an ornate oval frame. In it, he is presented as a ruler, but the surrounding imagery hints at the complex layers of power and identity. Notice how the print employs classical motifs, positioning Louis XV as an almost divine figure. Yet, there is also a sense of the king as a figurehead, with his power dependent on these symbolic elements. The additional people in the print highlight the different aspects of governance, scholarship and the arts. Consider the role of portraiture in shaping perceptions of power, and how images like these contribute to the construction of identity, both for the individual depicted and the society consuming these representations. This image encourages us to contemplate the ways in which power is performed, negotiated, and immortalized through art.