Gezicht op de entree van het kasteel van Richelieu 1629 - 1679

Jean Marot produced this print of the Chateau de Richelieu in France sometime in the mid-17th century. It depicts the entrance to what was one of the most lavish displays of wealth and power in its day. Here, the symmetrical design and imposing scale speak to the absolutist ambitions of Cardinal Richelieu, chief minister to King Louis XIII. The Chateau was not just a home, but a carefully constructed image of authority, intended to impress and intimidate. Marot’s clean lines and precise rendering further emphasize the order and control that Richelieu sought to project. This image also highlights the institutional history of art in France, where architectural prints played a key role in disseminating ideas about design and reinforcing social hierarchies. By studying such images alongside historical documents, we can better understand the complex interplay between art, power, and society in early modern Europe.