Landschap met twee vrouwen waarvan één haar voeten wast 1649 - 1734

This is Louis de Châtillon's "Landscape with Two Women, one of whom is Washing her Feet", an etching. De Châtillon was a French artist working around the turn of the 18th century, a period in which the French court was a major center of artistic production and innovation. This image reflects a renewed interest in classical antiquity, which was an important source of artistic authority for the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. The classical aesthetic promoted values of order and reason, associating them with the power of the French state under Louis XIV. But what did this mean for the public role of art? Was it meant to reinforce existing social structures or challenge them? The image prompts us to consider the artist’s own institutional position. How did his training at the academy shape his approach to making art? To answer these questions, we can consult historical records, critical essays, and other archival sources.