A Kneeling King of France Holding the Scepters of Royal Authority 1590 - 1640

Jean Boucher created this black and white chalk drawing, A Kneeling King of France Holding the Scepters of Royal Authority, sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. Boucher lived during a time of great religious and political upheaval in France, marked by the Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants. In this drawing, a King of France is depicted kneeling, holding the symbols of royal power. The act of kneeling typically signifies supplication, humility, or reverence. Here, it seems to pose a question about the nature of power and authority. Is the king submitting to a higher power, or is this pose part of a performance of power intended to elicit loyalty and obedience from his subjects? It would be interesting to think about the emotional and psychological dimensions of leadership during this tumultuous time in French history. What might it have felt like to be a monarch, bearing the weight of the crown amidst so much division and conflict? Through this drawing, Boucher encourages us to reflect on the burdens and complexities of leadership.