Trompettisten te paard in Romeins kostuum 1670

François Chauveau made this etching of trumpeters in Roman costume sometime in the 17th century. The image reflects the Baroque era’s fascination with antiquity. But it does more than simply mimic classical styles, it revives and reimagines them for a contemporary audience. Let’s consider the context in which Chauveau was working. France, under Louis XIV, was constructing its own image as a new Rome, heir to the power and glory of the Caesars. Artists played a key role in shaping that image. Visual codes such as classical architecture, dress, and symbols were used to legitimize royal power. The court became a kind of theater, where carefully staged spectacles reinforced the king's authority. This image of trumpeters functions within that theater. While seemingly celebrating the past, it’s also very much about the present. Cultural historians like myself can look at fashion, theater, and other art forms of the period to better understand the image’s original social function.