Portrait of Louis XIV 1712

Pierre Drevet created this engraving of "Portrait of Louis XIV" during a time when the French monarchy was at its zenith. Louis XIV, often called the Sun King, believed in his divine right to rule, a concept deeply embedded in the visual culture of his era. Consider how the performance of masculinity is constructed here. The king's elaborate wig, his ornate robes, and the regal setting all reinforce an image of power and authority. Yet, there's a certain artificiality to it all, isn't there? This wasn’t just about representation, but about crafting a persona. Louis used art as propaganda, dictating his image to project control and magnificence. The emotional dimension here lies in the contrast between the outward display of invincibility and the human being beneath those layers of artifice. This portrait invites us to question how power is performed, consumed, and internalized, then and now.