About this artwork
Pierre Dulin's engraving, "Le sacre de Louis XV," captures the regal aura of the French monarchy. A decorative cartouche dominates the composition, its ornate frame immediately drawing the eye. Angels, symbols of divine endorsement, flank the central text, enhancing the piece's sense of ceremonial importance. The cartouche serves as a structured space, carefully balancing text with symbolic ornamentation. This interplay is key; the inscription details Louis XV's coronation, while the surrounding motifs amplify his divinely sanctioned authority. The artist uses the visual language of power, typical of the era, to reinforce the king's legitimacy. Below, a landscape provides a grounding contrast to the ethereal quality of the cartouche. The image creates a dialogue between heavenly endorsement and earthly rule, suggesting that both realms are in harmony under Louis XV's reign. By examining these visual codes, we see how Dulin's engraving functions as both a historical record and a carefully constructed piece of political communication.
Le sacre de Louis XV, roy de France & de Navarre, dans l'église de Reims, le dimanche XXV octobre MDCCXXII
1723
Artwork details
- Dimensions
- 84 leaves : chiefly illustrations ; Height: 25 3/16 in. (64 cm)
- Location
- Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
- Copyright
- Public Domain
Tags
aged paper
toned paper
parchment
pencil sketch
old engraving style
personal sketchbook
old-timey
france
19th century
watercolour illustration
golden font
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About this artwork
Pierre Dulin's engraving, "Le sacre de Louis XV," captures the regal aura of the French monarchy. A decorative cartouche dominates the composition, its ornate frame immediately drawing the eye. Angels, symbols of divine endorsement, flank the central text, enhancing the piece's sense of ceremonial importance. The cartouche serves as a structured space, carefully balancing text with symbolic ornamentation. This interplay is key; the inscription details Louis XV's coronation, while the surrounding motifs amplify his divinely sanctioned authority. The artist uses the visual language of power, typical of the era, to reinforce the king's legitimacy. Below, a landscape provides a grounding contrast to the ethereal quality of the cartouche. The image creates a dialogue between heavenly endorsement and earthly rule, suggesting that both realms are in harmony under Louis XV's reign. By examining these visual codes, we see how Dulin's engraving functions as both a historical record and a carefully constructed piece of political communication.
Comments
Be the first to share your thoughts about this work.