Penning met buste van Lodewijk XIV 1702

This is Gérard Edelinck's engraving of Louis XIV, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The almost clinical precision of line engraving, combined with the circular format, lends this portrait a formal, timeless quality. Notice how Edelinck uses line to create not just form, but also texture. Fine, parallel lines delineate the king's face and torso, giving a sense of depth. The hair, a riot of curls, is rendered with incredible detail, each strand distinct yet part of a flowing whole. The circular frame, inscribed with text, reinforces the sense of enclosure. The image is caught between the precision of the printing press and the flamboyant style of the Sun King. How does this tension reflect the socio-political climate of Louis XIV's France, where absolute power was cloaked in the arts and sciences? Is it a celebration or an analysis? The beauty of the work lies not just in its technical skill, but in the questions it raises about power, representation, and the very nature of image-making.