Portret van Lodewijk van Frankrijk 1755 - 1765

Editor: This engraving, titled "Portret van Lodewijk van Frankrijk," likely made between 1755 and 1765 by Jacques Nicolas Tardieu, shows a regal figure framed within a simple oval. The subject’s ornate armor contrasts with his soft features and the clean lines of the portrait. It feels very formal, yet also somehow fragile. What symbols or messages jump out at you? Curator: The portrait's strength lies in its embodiment of dualities. The sitter's youth is juxtaposed with the armor of a soldier, hinting at the expectations placed on young Louis as the Dauphin. Even his voluminous curls offset the harsh metal. Think of armor. It not only speaks of military prowess and protection, but, by this period, had already come to represent a cultural memory. What then does it say about the Bourbon monarchy and the expectations of it from this young prince? Editor: So, the armor represents a historical weight and legacy he had to carry? The piece also uses a very traditional style, with the engraving lines creating detailed textures. Does the artistic style itself hold symbolic value? Curator: Precisely! The Baroque style, with its love of ornamentation, served as a visual language of power and divine right. In this context, Baroque, then, functions as an important cultural memory that situates the Dauphin’s role in the court. The frame around his portrait creates an illusion of him set atop a pedestal, evoking statues of Roman emperors and signaling an intention to portray Louis with their timeless power. Does knowing the history and the symbolic tradition impact your first emotional impressions of the image? Editor: It does. The piece feels less fragile and more like a calculated image of power. It’s like the symbols were deliberately chosen to establish the sitter’s authority. Curator: Indeed. Every detail, from the armor to the engraving style itself, participates in this carefully constructed narrative of power and inheritance.