Gekroonde cartouche met rolwerk 1685

Charles Mavelot created this crowned cartouche with scrollwork, sometime between 1680 and 1742. Cartouches such as these were popular in the 18th century, used as ornamental frames for inscriptions or heraldic emblems. Think about the power and status that this image conveys. The crown atop the interwoven initials speaks to aristocracy and lineage, visually reinforcing a hierarchy. Mavelot, working under the patronage system of the time, was acutely aware of his position in relation to his noble clients. How might his own identity and aspirations be entangled with the creation of such emblems of power? While seemingly decorative, this cartouche subtly communicates the rigid social structures of the era. It reminds us to consider the stories behind the symbols, and the people whose identities were shaped by them.