Nicolas Fouquet 1661

Curator: This portrait, made by Robert Nanteuil in 1661, presents Nicolas Fouquet, Louis XIV's Superintendent of Finances. It's currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What strikes you about it initially? Editor: A quiet confidence, wouldn’t you say? The oval framing him almost softens what I imagine was quite a steel-edged personality in reality. A smirk that says, "I know something you don't know." Curator: Indeed. Nanteuil's print captures the man just before his fall from grace. Fouquet's lavish tastes and ambition ultimately led to his imprisonment, orchestrated by Louis XIV, who likely viewed him as a threat. The portrait offers an insight into Fouquet's perceived power at the time. Note the family's coat of arms under the ribbon. Editor: It is more than confidence… there is arrogance in the air too. But look at the meticulous detail—almost photographic quality— considering the medium. And I think about how someone powerful had a printed copy of him to distribute amongst friends. Fouquet understood branding way before Instagram. Curator: Precisely. Nanteuil was renowned for his skill in engraving, a process that allowed for wider circulation of portraits like this one. These weren’t just images; they were carefully constructed statements of status and political alignment. Consider how carefully such depictions needed to balance idealization and the expectations of both the subject and the crown. Fouquet clearly wants to convey his importance, so details of this are worth noticing. Editor: Absolutely. You almost pity him. The swagger in that gaze will shortly turn to shock and confinement. I think Nanteuil has almost accidentally created something that contains more than either intended—a sense of the moment just before things are upturned. Curator: It encapsulates a critical juncture in French history, reflecting themes of ambition, power, and the very public consequences of falling out of favor with the Sun King. Editor: Absolutely. It is like the still before the storm. Thank you for highlighting that key juncture; it adds such depth to seeing something so familiar.