Portrait of Louis XVIII
Jean-Baptiste Jacques Augustin
1822
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Jean-Baptiste Jacques Augustin
1822
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a tiny, polished portrait of a man in a red military jacket, gold epaulettes, and a white sash. His powdered hair curls at the sides, and his face looks calm, almost tired. This is King Louis XVIII, painted just two years before his death. Miniatures like this were small enough to carry or gift—diplomats and nobles swapped them like calling cards. Augustin was the court’s go-to artist, so this wasn’t just art; it was official branding. If you like how small details can hold big power, look up *The Cleveland Museum of Art* for more of these pocket-sized portraits.
