Artwork

Allégorie sur l'Erection de la Statue de Louis XV (Allegory on the Establishment of a Statue of Louis XV)

Allégorie sur l'Erection de la Statue de Louis XV (Allegory on the Establishment of a Statue of Louis XV) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Gabriel de Saint-Aubin. It dates from 1763 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Markings: Marked:recto: none; verso: Henri-Jean Thomas (Lugt 1378)

About this work

Overview

Gabriel de Saint-Aubin's 'Allégorie sur l'Erection de la Statue de Louis XV' is a c. 1763 etching that commemorates the establishment of a statue of Louis XV through an allegorical scene of celebration.

Subject & Meaning

At the composition's center is the statue of Louis XV, encircled by figures carrying flags and other objects, symbolizing national pride and the monarch's revered status. The surrounding crowd and architectural backdrop evoke widespread jubilation and the integration of royal iconography into urban life.

Technique & Style

The print combines etching with traces of roulette and engraving on laid paper, yielding intricate details, nuanced textures, and a deep sense of dimensionality. Strategic use of light and shadow enhances the dramatic and energetic atmosphere of the celebration.

History & Provenance

Created around 1763, the work's specific commission history and early ownership are not detailed in available records, though its production coincides with the height of Louis XV's reign and the proliferation of royal imagery in 18th-century France.

Context

This allegory reflects the 18th-century French practice of using public art and festivities to bolster monarchical legitimacy. The print likely served as a disseminated tribute to Louis XV's rule, reaching a broader audience beyond the physical location of the statue.

Legacy

While not widely recognized as a singular landmark in Saint-Aubin's oeuvre, the etching contributes to the broader understanding of 18th-century French artistic responses to monarchy and public celebration, offering insights into the period's visual rhetoric of royal admiration.