Marie Eleonor d'Este. Princesse de Moden (...). after 1685

This print of Maria Eleonora d’Este was made in France during the late 17th century. It depicts the Italian princess who became Queen consort to James II of England. Prints like this were a relatively new technology, and this one offers insight into the public role of art at that time. As a form of mass media, prints popularized images of royalty and nobility. Through visual codes like luxurious garments and elaborate hairstyles, this print constructs a very particular idea of aristocratic femininity. We can learn more about this image by researching the Bonnart family, a dynasty of French printmakers who specialized in fashion plates and portraiture. Studying the image helps us understand the political work performed by portraiture, and the institutional histories behind the production and distribution of images. The meaning of art is always contingent on social and institutional contexts.