Portrait of Louis XV of France 

Editor: Here we have a pastel drawing titled "Portrait of Louis XV of France" by Maurice Quentin de La Tour. I’m immediately struck by the softness of the colors and the almost photographic detail of his face. It's like I can almost feel the texture of his skin. What else do you see in this piece, something I might be missing? Curator: Oh, absolutely! The texture is key; La Tour was a master of pastel. Think about what pastel allows – that incredible immediacy, the way you can build up layers of color almost like makeup. And the *gaze*, Editor, look at that sly, knowing look! What does it tell you about power, about representation? Does it flatter or reveal, or perhaps, both? Editor: I suppose I see a little bit of both, the regal look but the slightly crooked smile also humanizes him. Curator: Precisely! He’s playing a role, isn't he? The king *as* portrait – or should I say the portrait as the king! In an era where image was everything, the ability to capture someone's likeness—and project the right image—was a powerful tool, even more powerful in color and incredible detail. What kind of game do you think he’s playing? Editor: I never really considered it that way. Maybe less a 'king' and more a celebrity consciously creating an image. I guess that's something to reflect on. Curator: See? Art’s like a mirror—sometimes it reflects exactly what we expect, other times it reveals something entirely new. It all hinges on how we choose to see, on who chooses to see us! It also encourages one to explore how image creation might be quite manipulative. Editor: Thank you! That was certainly eye-opening, blending the historical role with a kind of celebrity status – it makes the image much more modern and interesting.