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Comparing Rigaud's Portrait Of Louis XIV 'And Boucher'

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During the Baroque period, the absolute monarch Louis XIV controlled French art. He used art as propaganda celebrating his own power and strength, invoking the drama of Baroque art for his own purposes. After his death, French aristocrats regained their power and freedom and French art entered the Rococo period. Aristocrats commissioned works that celebrated their luxurious and pleasurable lives. Paintings became less dramatic and more whimsical. Hyacinthe Rigaud’s Portrait of Louis XIV and François Boucher’s Portrait of Madame de Pompadour, exemplify these different styles and the difference in the interests of the time periods. Rigaud and Boucher’s compositions contain similar elements but convey different messages. Rigaud’s Portrait of …show more content…

Louis XIV is deliberately posed in his coronation robes with his scepter and crown off to the side, in front of a massive red curtain and a column. His robes and furniture are embroidered with fleurs de lis, another symbol of monarchy in France. It is a very obviously staged setting with objects carefully selected to convey Riguad’s. The crown, scepter, and robes are all symbols of Louis XIV’s monarchy. The heavy presence of gold, as well as the ermine lining of the robe, show off France’s wealth and therefore, the king’s power. Boucher’s setting is more casual and intimate. The room is somewhere Madame de Pompadour may actually relax, with comfortable furniture and personal objects in disarray, making it look lived-in. The setting looks less staged, but was still carefully designed. The writing table to her left and the book in her hand reveal her high level of education and identify Madame de Pompadour as an aristocratic woman of leisure. Her furniture and clothes look expensive and luxurious. All these details create a scene that appears to be directly out of Madame de Pompadour’s life. Boucher rejects the drama of Baroque art in favor of a painting that celebrates the everyday luxuries of aristocratic French …show more content…

Louis XIV was known as the sun king, connecting him to the ancient god Apollo. Rigaud subtly alludes to this comparison in his painting with the diagonal axes of the king’s robe and feet, which mimic the sun’s rays. The comparison to Apollo connected Louis XIV with godly power and emphasized his stability. Boucher’s comparison is less subtle. Boucher paints Madame de Pompadour in a dress adorned with roses and pearls. These, as well as the cupid by the clock, are symbols of the Venus, the Roman goddess of love. These references to Venus hint at Madame de Pompadour’s role as the king’s mistress, but also reveal Rococo artists’ interest in love and pleasure. The difference in these comparisons beautifully reflects the different interests of the two period. Connecting Louis XIV to the sun god reminds the viewer of his power and raises him to a divine level, whereas connecting Madame de Pompadour to Venus emphasizes the Rococo fixation on both lust and

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