Plafondschildering in de Grande Galerie van Versailles met Lodewijk XIV, koning van Frankrijk, tussen Neptunus en Mars before 1752

Laurent Cars made this print of the ceiling painting in the Grande Galerie of Versailles sometime before his death in 1771. The print is made using an intaglio process, where the image is incised into a metal plate, likely copper, and then inked. Paper is then pressed against the plate to pick up the ink. The original painting that the print shows was made on a massive scale, and it certainly took a whole team of artists to produce, from the stretching of the canvas to the mixing of paints. Think of the ladders, the scaffolding, the sheer labor that went into its production. Now consider the politics of the image. King Louis the Fourteenth is shown here as a godlike figure, flanked by Neptune and Mars, gods of the sea and war respectively. Prints like this were widely circulated, and critical in creating the king's brand. Looking closely at this print reminds us that the Palace of Versailles was not just a place of leisure, but a highly organized production site. It’s a testament to the power of images to perpetuate power, a message that continues to resonate today.