Maurice Leloir (1853–1940), *Le Roy Soleil* (The Sun King). 1904

Etching on thick cardboard; 36 x 29 cm (inside the frame); mounted in an exceptionally ornate gold frame measuring 59 x 53 cm;
"The Sun King" is the nickname of Louis XIV, King of France, who reigned from 1643 to 1715. He earned this nickname because of the way he asserted his authority, invoking the symbolism of the sun as a sign of dominance, power, and splendor, just as the mythological god Apollo did. This king also became famous as an absolute monarch, the builder of the Palace of Versailles, and a patron of the arts.
This nickname emphasized his role as the center of power upon whom everything depended, a notion he expressed with his famous saying, “I am the state.” King Louis XIV reigned for an exceptionally long time (72 years, including the regency period), during which France experienced its greatest cultural flourishing and became the most powerful empire in Europe. He was the embodiment of absolutism, which meant full, unlimited power, reinforced by his legendary splendor and the court at Versailles.