Louis XIII (border, upper center) c. 17th century

Curator: Jacques Callot created this engraving of Louis XIII, it functions as a border and centers the king. My initial impression is one of stern formality. Editor: Those rigid military trophies – spears, flags, armor – certainly reinforce the idea of Louis XIII as a ruler defined by warfare. The crown looms over him. Curator: Absolutely. Callot, creating art in early modern France, had to navigate the politics of patronage. How does he portray Louis XIII's power? Is it forceful? Stable? Threatened? The armor does a lot of work to convey power. Editor: The image relies heavily on the visual language of power: the central royal portrait wreathed by symbols of military might. It's interesting how these objects signify not just control, but a certain inherited claim to dominance. Curator: Callot's visual language echoes the sociopolitical order of the time, and it’s a poignant reminder of how deeply art was entwined with power structures. Editor: Precisely. Looking at Callot’s piece offers such a rich understanding of the intersection of art, power, and symbolic representation.