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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.

Ancient Roman (Unknown), -100
Louvre, Paris, Paris

Gerard ter Borch
Louvre, Paris, Paris

Jacques-Louis David
Louvre, Paris, Paris

Bernardino Luini
Louvre, Paris, Paris
Other masterpieces from the Baroque movement

Frans Hals, 1624
Wallace Collection, London
Johannes Vermeer, 1666
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Johannes Vermeer, 1665
Mauritshuis, The Hague

El Greco, 1614
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Johannes Vermeer, 1670
Louvre, Paris, Paris

Johannes Vermeer, 1664
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Johannes Vermeer, 1663
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Diego Velázquez, 1650
National Gallery, London
Luxury wall art with the same mood and energy. Gallery-quality canvas, no museum crowds.
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