Louis XIV 1670

Robert Nanteuil made this print of Louis XIV, the "Sun King", in France in the mid-17th century. It's an engraving, a printmaking technique that allowed for the wide distribution of images. And in this case, the image is one of royal power. Louis is shown in armor, framed by the symbols of French royalty, the fleur-de-lis. The inscription around the oval declares him King of France and Navarre "by the Grace of God," reinforcing the idea of divine right. But it is the king's gaze and elaborate wig that would have caught the eye of contemporaries. Louis's carefully cultivated image was central to his project of centralizing power and establishing a lavish court culture at Versailles. By studying prints like this alongside court records, letters, and other historical documents, we can better understand the social and political functions of art in the age of absolutism.