Primary Source

Louis XVI distributes aid to the Poor

Annotation

Here Louis XVI is portrayed as a benevolent king distributing alms to the poor, an appropriate action for the "Father of his people." However, his rich fur–clad outfit contrasts with the abject poverty of the common people, suggesting to those inclined to be critical that the King did not understand the true state of popular misery during some of the 1780s, preceding the French Revolution.

Credits

Creator
Pierre-Michel Adam (engraver)
Louis Hersent (model)

Source
Bibliothèque Nationale de France

Date
1817-1822

How to Cite This Source

"Louis XVI distributes aid to the Poor," in World History Commons, https://worldhistorycommons.org/louis-xvi-distributes-aid-poor [accessed March 29, 2024]