Creator

Jean-Marc Nattier,

Creation-date

-

Technique

Engraving

Material

Paper

Inventory number

-

Subject-1

Marie de' Medicis

Object-Current-Location

Bibliothèque nationale de France

Digital resource author

GrECI Project

Digital-resource-rights holder

University of Franche Comté (for GrECI project)

Image-number

064_RP_19

License

CC BY

Description

The importance of Greek tradition and culture can also be seen in the monarchy's use of ancient symbols. At a time of religious conflicts, kings and queens often represented themselves in the form of ancient heroes or divinities. The monarchy sought to create a discourse and an imaginary world in which its representatives were seen as divinities capable of dealing with the troubles affecting the kingdom. Here we see the queen of France Marie of Medicis, Henri IV's wife, represented as the goddess Athena.