Saint Louis presenting his sword to Christ, after a ceiling design
Medium
Etching and engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 17 1/2 × 12 15/16 in. (44.5 × 32.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1962
Accession Number
62.635.765
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This striking etching and engraving captures a moment of profound devotion, showing Saint Louis—King Louis IX of France—kneeling to offer his sword to Christ. Created between 1755 and 1790 by Jean Charles Delafosse and Charles Nicolas Cochin II, the print reproduces a ceiling design, translating an architectural composition meant to be viewed from below into a portable format. The collaborative effort highlights the 18th-century practice of disseminating grand decorative schemes through printmaking, allowing wider audiences to appreciate ambitious artistic visions originally intended for churches or palaces. The medium of etching and engraving lends crisp detail and tonal richness to the scene, with fine lines conveying the folds of royal and divine robes as well as the dramatic upward gaze. As a reproductive print, it served both devotional and educational purposes, bringing a message of pious kingship and spiritual surrender to viewers far from the original ceiling. Its dimensions and careful technique reflect the high standards of French print culture during the Enlightenment, when such works bridged fine art, architecture, and popular religious imagery.
About the Artist
Jean Charles Delafosse|Charles Nicolas Cochin II · 1734–1789
French architect. Comment on works: architect; copper engraver Comment on works: Architect; Draughtsman; Ornamentist; Engraver