Obelisk op Place Dauphine tijdens de Blijde Intocht van koning Lodewijk XIV van Frankrijk en zijn vrouw Maria Theresia in Parijs 1660 - 1662

This print by Jean Lepautre depicts an obelisk in the Place Dauphine during the ceremonial entry of King Louis XIV and his wife Maria Theresa into Paris. The image invites us to consider the public role of art in the spectacle of royal power. Made in France, this print from the 17th century is a carefully constructed piece of political imagery. Royal entries like this one were highly staged events designed to impress upon the public the legitimacy and magnificence of the monarchy. Temporary structures such as this obelisk were erected along the processional route, serving as stages for allegorical performances and displays of loyalty. Lepautre's print, likely produced for circulation among the court and elite, served to further disseminate the image of Louis XIV as an absolute ruler. To understand it better, we might look at documents from the royal archives, accounts from contemporary observers, and studies of French Baroque culture. Art such as this was deeply embedded in the social and institutional context of its time.