Coronation of Philippe Auguste 1460

Editor: Here we have Jean Fouquet's "Coronation of Philippe Auguste," painted around 1460 using tempera. The piece strikes me as incredibly formal and symbolic. What symbols do you see in play here? Curator: Beyond the obvious fleur-de-lis which, of course, speaks to French royalty and divine right, look at the colors. Blue, associated with the Virgin Mary, cloaks the kneeling king, imbuing him with a sense of grace and divine favor even before the crown touches his head. How do you read that posture of kneeling in terms of visual rhetoric? Editor: It definitely suggests humility and submission to both God and the Church. Almost like a sacred vow being witnessed by these figures behind him. Curator: Precisely. Consider also the weight of gesture. The hands of the clergymen, either open in benediction or holding sacred texts, actively participate in the ritual, reinforcing the Church’s authority in this symbolic transfer of power. These repeated hand gestures give importance to this scene. Doesn’t it remind you of Byzantine iconography, or even ancient Roman practices of ritual and public imagery? Editor: I can see that – especially the way the figures are presented, almost like types instead of individual portraits. But what about the absence of a real background? Is that also symbolic, a way to focus solely on the act of coronation? Curator: It emphasizes the timeless nature of the event, lifting it out of the everyday and placing it firmly in the realm of ritual and historical memory. The solid background of fleur-de-lis becomes an emblem in itself, shorthand for the entire kingdom and its legacy. Do you agree? Editor: I think so. The scene becomes almost placeless, therefore eternal. Curator: Precisely. Each element contributes to this constructed memory, solidifying the image of a divinely sanctioned kingship. Editor: It’s fascinating how much cultural weight these images carried and still carry. I definitely see it differently now. Curator: And how powerful visual symbols like these continue to shape our understanding of history.