Francis I as Hercule gaulois

Jacques Roffet · 1549

The importance of Greek tradition and culture can also be seen in the monarchy's use of ancient symbols. At a time of religious conflicts, kings and queens often represented themselves in the form of ancient heroes or divinities. The monarchy sought to create a discourse and an imaginary world in which its representatives were seen as divinities capable of dealing with the troubles affecting the kingdom. Here we see the design of a triumphal arch commissioned by Henry II, depicting King François I, his father, as a Hercules gaulois.