Gezicht op het huwelijk tussen Lodewijk XVI, koning van Frankrijk, en Marie Antoinette, koningin van Frankrijk, in de kapel van het Paleis van Versailles op 16 mei 1770 18th century

This print by Basset captures the wedding of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette in the Chapel of Versailles on May 16, 1770. It’s tempting to get swept away by the gilded spectacle of the event, but let’s consider the fraught historical context in which this marriage took place. Envisioned as a union between France and Austria, the marriage was intended to secure peace, yet Marie Antoinette, an outsider, was met with distrust. As a woman in a highly scrutinized role, her actions were constantly under watch. The opulence of the ceremony, captured here, stood in stark contrast to the growing poverty and discontent among the French population. The image serves not just as a historical record, but as a complex intersection of gender, power, and social inequality. Ultimately, the print is a reminder of how personal lives, especially those of women, can be deeply intertwined with political landscapes, and how such displays of grandeur can mask underlying social tensions.