The Wars of Louis XIV

This room holds a small equestrian statue of Louis XIV riding off to war. Above it are paintings of the battles he waged, including scenes of him personally commanding troops on the battlefield. Commissioning paintings of himself in combat was a deliberate way to project the image of a powerful monarch. Far from mere records of war, these paintings served as tools for building his image as a victorious king, a leader who personally directed the nation, and ultimately a near-mythical Sun King. Most of the other portraits in this room likewise depict soldiers connected to his military campaigns.