Louis XIV, Roi de France

Hyacinthe Rigaud painted the definitive portrait of Louis XIV in 1701, when the Sun King was sixty-three years old. The monarch stands in full regalia: ermine-lined coronation robes embroidered with golden fleur-de-lis, the sword of Charlemagne at his side, high-heeled shoes displaying his still-elegant legs. The image became the most reproduced portrait in French history.

Every element serves the propaganda of absolute monarchy. Louis gestures toward his crown resting on a cushion, reminding viewers of his divine right to rule. The massive column and sweeping drapery create a theatrical setting worthy of Versailles itself. Yet Rigaud doesn't hide Louis's age. The face shows an older man with heavy features, lending the portrait a surprising honesty beneath its overwhelming grandeur.

Originally intended as a gift for Louis's grandson Philip V of Spain, the portrait so pleased the king that he kept the original and sent a copy instead. The painting now dominates a gallery at the Louvre in Paris, where it remains the ultimate statement of royal power and Baroque portraiture at its most ambitious.