Portrait of Henri IV, King of France, as Jupiter

Description Having himself depicted as the lightly clothed, muscular figure of Jupiter, king of the Olympian gods, is surely meant to suggest that Henry felt supremely confident of his invincibility. It is a clever political ploy of one who felt enemies on every side. His concerns were justified, as he was assassinated in 1609. The fierce eagle was Jupiter's pet and a suitable attribute of kingly ambition. There are two other portraits of the king as well as the companion statuette of his wife Marie de' Medici nearby. These statuettes do not show the same precision and finesse as the bust and may be products of Jacquet's workshop, made to be given as gifts to supporters.

Conservation

Date	Description	Narrative
3/29/1961	Treatment	cleaned

Exhibitions

• World of Wonder. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1971-1972.
• Vive la France! French Treasures from the Middle Ages to Monet. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1999-2000.
• Small Northern European Portraits from The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. National Gallery of Art, Washington. 2000.

Provenance Jacques Seligmann, Paris, by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1910, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters, 1910