Trophées Nouvellement Inventez par J.B. Toro. 1716

Jean Bernard Toro made this print, "Trophées Nouvellement Inventez," sometime around the turn of the 18th century. It's a celebration of power and artistry, but whose power, and which artistry? Toro was part of a generation of artists working in France who were deeply engaged with the question of how visual representation could bolster the authority of the state. The trophies, statues, and other ornaments depicted here speak to France's military might and cultural sophistication under Louis XIV. Note how the symbols of war are mixed with those of the arts and sciences, reflecting the king’s ambition to make France the envy of Europe. The image creates meaning through visual codes and cultural references. To understand this print fully, one would want to look at the institutions that shaped Toro's career, such as the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, which promoted a classical style suited to the monarchy's propaganda needs. By studying the institutional and social context, we can better understand the complex relationship between art and power in early modern France.