Bust of Louis XV

This bust shows the French King Louis XV at the height of his popularity, when he was still known as le Bien-Aimé (the Beloved). The artist achieved a remarkably animated likeness, at once elegant and grand. Royal portraits were meant to convey the monarch's authority and military might and were often displayed in private homes to demonstrate the owner's loyalty to the king.

Credit: Acquired by the Clark, 2006