Allegorische voorstelling met de buste van Lodewijk XV van Frankrijk 1766

This allegorical depiction of Louis XV, dating from the 18th century, was created by Antoine Jean Duclos using etching and engraving. Immediately, the intricate lines and the monochromatic palette draw us into a world of symbolic gestures and classical motifs. At the centre, the bust of Louis XV is being crowned, flanked by allegorical figures amidst a backdrop of books and scholarly paraphernalia. The composition, built on a pyramid-like structure, directs our gaze upwards to the crowning moment, and then down to the playful cherubs symbolizing the arts and sciences. The artist uses the visual language of neoclassicism to construct a narrative of enlightenment and royal virtue. It is a cultural artifact, reflecting the aspirations and self-image of a society steeped in the ideals of reason and order. We are invited to consider how power is constructed through representation, and how visual forms can shape collective memory.