Deel van een plafondschildering met twee naakte mannenfiguren 1679 - 1728

Jean-Baptiste de Poilly made this drawing of a ceiling painting in the late 17th or early 18th century. The sketch shows two nude male figures reclining above a shield bearing the French royal symbol, the fleur-de-lis. The image speaks to the cultural politics of the French court. During this era, the French monarchy employed art and architecture to project an image of power, opulence, and divine right. Royal patronage of the arts helped to create a culture of spectacle. The male nudes and the fleur-de-lis connect the monarchy to traditions of classical art and chivalry. But these symbols of wealth and power also served to reinforce social hierarchies. As art historians, we can examine similar artwork, architectural drawings, and court records to better understand the social and institutional context in which De Poilly was working. In so doing, we reveal how artistic creation is inextricably linked to the power dynamics of its time.