This exceptional and celebrated painting by Hyacinthe Rigaud became the official portrait of Louis XIV. A masterpiece of state portraiture, it combines splendour and ceremony with a commanding sense of power and sovereignty. Its vertical composition, a classical symbol of authority, is particularly striking. The work is also notable for its remarkable treatment of textiles.. The hand, the closed crown placed discreetly in the background, Henri IV’s sceptre, and Charlemagne’s sword complete the image of an absolute monarch. Justice and strength, two essential royal virtues, are represented in the bas-reliefs at the base of the column. This sumptuous portrait is one of the finest examples of Jeanne Augier’s lifelong commitment to repatriating important French artworks that have been sold abroad. Acquired from a Belgian collector, it now forms part of Le Negresco collection. The two other known versions are held at the Louvre and the Château de Versailles.