Portrait of Louis XIV 1661

Charles Le Brun painted this portrait of Louis XIV. Through portraiture like this one, seventeenth-century France broadcast its national and royal identity, especially throughout Louis XIV's long reign. Le Brun, as the King's premier painter, played an outsized role in establishing the image of the Sun King. Notice Louis's armor, a symbol of military might and leadership; his long, flowing wig, an emblem of status and fashion; and the delicate lace at his neck, indicative of wealth and refinement. Together, these elements construct an image of an all-powerful, yet elegant, ruler. What's fascinating is how this carefully curated image—heavy with symbols of power—reflects the complex negotiation of identity, authority, and personal expression that even a monarch had to navigate. In considering portraits like this one, we must ask ourselves, what narratives are being constructed, and whose stories are being told?