Siams ambassadører for Ludvig XIV (Ambassadeurs de Siam) 1703 - 1717

Johanna Sibylla Küsel made this print, “Siams ambassadører for Ludvig XIV,” using etching, a printmaking process where lines are incised into a metal plate with acid. The stark contrast achieved by this intaglio process lends the image a formal air, fitting for its subject: a diplomatic encounter. The print's fine lines capture the scene's opulence, from the patterned fabrics to the architectural details of the hall. Etching allowed Küsel to reproduce this image multiple times, playing a role in disseminating information and reinforcing the grandeur of Louis XIV’s court. But what is the relationship between the print, with its depictions of ambassadors, the modes of production, and capitalism? The print itself becomes an artifact of cultural exchange, a commodity produced and circulated within a burgeoning global economy. It speaks to the politics of representation, and how power is performed and mediated through images.