Anne of Austria is a portrait painting of the french queen by the flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) that was made around 1622. It depicts the spanish-born Queen of France, the wife of Louis XIII and mother of Louis XIV, the sun king.
In this painting the queen stands against a pitch black background. There is nothing else for our eyes to gaze at other than her majesty. She wears a magnificent blue dress that is adorned with pearls and fleur-de-lis, the symbol of the french monarchy. Her eyes are looking directly at us. Everything about Anne's clothing and bearing is an expression of her regal power.
In this artwork the artist puts us directly in front of the queen, as if we had come to her for an audience. We're not catching a quick glimpse from afar as we're passing by, no. We're standing right next to her and in awe of her presence. The portrait is meant to overwhelm you, to deliver the thought that royals are not like us mere mortals, that they are God's chosen creatures meant to reign over us.
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