Ruiterstandbeeld van Lodewijk XV op pedestal in decoratieve lijst after 1763

This print of the equestrian statue of Louis XV, was made by Louis Jacques Cathelin, probably in France. Equestrian statues, representing rulers on horseback, had a long tradition in Europe as symbols of power and authority. Here, the print is dedicated to Monsieur le Marquis de Marigny, who was the Director-General of Royal Buildings, Gardens, Arts and Manufactures. His role is significant. Under his authority, the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, for example, codified artistic standards and tastes, and reinforced hierarchy within the French art world. In this context, the print serves as a kind of advertisement for Marigny's cultural and political power. To fully understand this image, we need to look at the institutional history of the French monarchy and the Academies, and explore the relationship between art, power, and patronage in 18th-century France. Art history is as much social history as it is the study of aesthetics.