Louis XIV and His Bodyguards

One of Louis XIV’s court painters, the Flemish artist Adam Frans van der Meulen, depicted the king arriving at the palace of Versailles, still under construction. The painting dates from 1669, when none of the gardens, pools, or statues had yet been installed. Louis is the only figure facing the viewer, and his clothing is much more colorful than that of anyone else in the painting. (Chateau de Versailles et de Trianon, Versailles, France / © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY.)