Carrousel of the Royal Palace
2022 © Maxim Tabachnik
French Street Festival SceneThe Prodigal Son among Courtesans15th-Century Leather Shoes from Île de la CitéDecorated Tiles from Saint-Germain-des-PrésThe Seine, the Louvre and the Collège des Quatre-Nations from Pont NeufCarrousel of the Royal PalaceVisit of Louis XIV to the Church of the Hôtel des InvalidesLouis XIII Style Wood Paneled StudyBaroque Festoons on BoiserieSelf-Portrait of Charles Le BrunPortrait of Marie de Rabutin-ChantalPortrait of François-Michel Le Tellier

Carrousel of the Royal PalaceMatthäus Merian

69
Matthäus Merian’s 1612 painting captures the equestrian festival in Paris celebrating the double wedding of Louis XIII to Anne of Austria and Elisabeth of France to Philip IV of Spain. Held in the Place Royale, the event showcased chivalric display, political theater, and urban pageantry. It emphasized Bourbon prestige, reinforced the Habsburg alliance, and highlighted the monarchy’s role in civic life, reflecting the era’s complex interplay of power and spectacle.