Le Cabinet des Ombres

Le Cabinet des Ombres

c. 1700s (Imagined)
Oil on canvas
140 × 100 cm
Mémoire du Roi, No. 6

In this intimate and enigmatic scene, a veiled noblewoman opens a carved box to reveal a miniature portrait of the king—an act of quiet devotion or sorrowful remembrance. She is observed in silence by a masked figure cloaked in shadow, his presence ambiguous. Nearby, a raven perches solemnly in a gilded cage, surrounded by books and candlelight.

Set within the depths of a royal cabinet, the painting invites the viewer into a world of secrecy, memory, and quiet resistance. The flickering glow, rich textures, and veiled symbolism evoke a court haunted not only by its grandeur but by its ghosts.