Gezicht op het Palais du Luxembourg te Parijs gezien vanaf de tuin 1729

Jacques Rigaud created this print of the Palais du Luxembourg in Paris in the 18th century. The Palais, initially built for Marie de Medici in the early 1600s, underwent significant transformations during the reign of Louis XIV, reflecting the era’s grand ambitions. Rigaud's image presents a vision of Parisian high society amidst these architectural assertions of power. Look at the figures populating the garden. What stories might we imagine for them? The women are adorned in elaborate dresses, and the men in formal suits, their attire signaling a distinct class identity. The garden itself is not merely a backdrop; it's a stage for social performance. Rigaud masterfully captures this dynamic, highlighting the intersection of space, power, and identity. Rigaud's print invites us to reflect on the ways in which landscapes embody social structures, revealing the intricate relationships between power, identity, and representation in 18th-century France.