Portret van Lodewijk III en Karloman II 1647 - 1678

Nicolas de Larmessin’s undated print portrays the joint portrait of Lodewijk III and Karloman II. The composition, confined within an oval frame, offers a study in contrasts through its meticulously engraved lines. The artist uses an economy of detail to convey texture. Notice the dense, cross-hatched lines defining the armour and fabric, juxtaposed with the smoother rendering of the faces. This contrast draws our attention to the status and humanity of the subjects. The use of line here creates not just visual interest but a semiotic code, distinguishing the personal from the symbolic. The formal structure, typical of portraiture, is destabilized by the mirrored symmetry and shared space, challenging the singular importance of the individual ruler. This doubling might invite us to reflect on power and its distribution. The print thus functions as more than a mere likeness; it's a discourse on the very nature of rulership.