Triumph and disaster: Eight exhibits from the British Museum's show on Louis XIV as a Sun King

This article originally appeared on Culture24.

Louis XIV was intent on being known as a Sun King whose rays would warm and illuminate the world. In the tercentenary year of his death, here are eight exhibits from a new British Museum exhibition

Nec Pluribus Impar

A photo of an ancient gold coin with an inscription of a sun figure at its centre© The Trustees of the British Museum
Designed by Jean Warin, 1672
Louis XIV as the sun warming the earth and the inscription means ‘not unequal to many’ which was his motto.


Hard Work

A photo of an ancient copper coin showing a biblical figure on a horse-led chariot© The Trustees of the British Museum
Designed by Renaudot, 1661
Louis is represented as Apollo, driving the chariot of the sun which brings light to every part of the earth.


The London Manuscript

A photo of a manuscript showing various biblical figures above black ink lettering© The British Library Board
"PROJETS pour le medailler de Louis XIV., avec les desseins de Seb. Le Clerc et des nottes du Roy, des Ministres, et de l'Academie Royale des Inscriptions."
A scrapbook bringing together ideas for medals in the form of sketches, descriptions and finished drawings by Sébastien Le Clerc. This is an important loan object from the British Library.


Battle of Turin

A photo of a silver coin engraved with various figures embracing and on horseback© The Trustees of the British Museum
1706
The Duke of Savoy is shown as Jupiter, in the form of an eagle, striking down Phaethon with a thunderbolt.


Siamese Ambassadors

A photo of a copper circular coin engraved with figures bowing towards a man on a throne© The Trustees of the British Museum
1686
The ambassadors of King Phra Narai of Siam [Thailand] were received by Louis in the Galérie des Glaces at Versailles on 1 September, 1686. After the visit, one of the ambassadors said that after the three grandeurs of the world, he now knew a fourth – Versailles.


The Humiliation of Louis XIV

A photo of a circular silver coin engraved with clouds bursting from a kind of circle© The Trustees of the British Museum
1689
An exploding bomb, decorated with the fleurs de lys and inscription IMP GALLIC, which is symbolic of France blowing itself up.


Medallic History of Louis XIV

A photo of a grey scale illustration showing goddess figures beneath flying angels© The Trustees of the British Museum
1723
Father Time lies defeated by the medallic history of Louis XIV which will last forever.


Colossus of Rhodes

A photo of a circular silver coin showing a robed biblical male figure carrying various offerings© The Trustees of the British Museum
1709
Louis is shown as the Colossus of Rhodes crumbling under its own weight. The medal celebrates the capture of Hainault from the French in 1709 and is representative of the widespread feeling that Louis’ pre-eminence was coming to an end.

  • Triumph and Disaster: Medals of the Sun King is in Room 69a of the British Museum from June 4 – November 15 2015.

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Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/royal-history/art527500-triumph-and-disaster-eight-exhibits-from-the-british-museum-show-on-louis-xiv-as-a-sun-king


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