Louis XIII as Dauphin between Henri IV as Mars and Marie as Pallas Athena [reverse] 1603

Guillaume Dupré created this gold medal, celebrating Louis XIII as Dauphin, sometime in the early 17th century. It’s a fascinating example of how power was visually constructed in early modern France. We see Henri IV, the king, cast as Mars, the god of war, and his wife Marie de Medici as Pallas Athena, goddess of wisdom. They clasp hands over their young son, Louis, effectively promising a future of wise and strong rule. The medal itself, its material and form, speaks to the hierarchies of the time. Medals like these were often commissioned by the court and given as gifts, reinforcing social bonds and signaling allegiance. The imagery, drawing on classical mythology, was a common visual language among the elites of Europe, helping to establish a sense of shared culture and values. To understand this medal more fully, one might delve into the court records of the time, exploring the commissioning process and the distribution of such objects. What can this tell us about the social and institutional role of art?