Charles X "Roi de France"
ca. 1829
Classification
ceramics
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Jane M. Epstine
Accession Number
2006-20-59
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This ceramic artwork, titled *Charles X "Roi de France"*, dates to around 1829 and captures the likeness of Charles X, the last Bourbon king of France. Created during the final years of his reign (1824–1830), it reflects a period of political tension in post-Revolutionary France, where monarchist sentiments clashed with growing liberal demands. The piece, now in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection through the bequest of Jane M. Epstine, likely served as a decorative object or token of royal loyalty, common in households admiring European aristocracy. As a ceramic work by an unknown artist, it exemplifies the era's popular production of portrait figurines and busts, often molded and painted to make historical figures accessible. These affordable items bridged fine art and everyday life, spreading cultural icons across Europe and America. Though research is ongoing, its presence in an American collection hints at transatlantic fascination with French royalty amid the early 19th-century exchange of goods and ideas. Visitors may appreciate how such ceramics preserved fleeting moments of history—like Charles X's short, stormy rule, ended by the 1830 July Revolution—turning clay into a snapshot of monarchical grandeur.
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...