Louis XIV in allegorical armor
17th century
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
4 x 2 5/8 in. (10.2 x 6.7 cm.)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Ogden Mills, 1925
Accession Number
25.142.61
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bronze plaquette, *Louis XIV in Allegorical* by Michel Molart, the Sun King in profile during France's grand 17th-century Baroque era. Crafted around the height of Louis XIV's reign (1643–1715), the small-scale work (just 4 x 2⅝ inches) depicts the monarch in ornate armor and helmet, evoking classical heroism. Subtle allegorical elements, like the chariot suggested in its design, symbolize triumph and divine rule, aligning with the king's self-image as a god-like protector of the realm. Molart, a skilled French medallist, mastered the art of plaquettes—collectible bronze relief...