Europe’s long fascination with ancient Chinese art and culture isn’t new as it was even mythologized in the Middle Ages. However, it was during the reign Louis XIV that a new era began that brought the East and West closer than ever before.
Inspired by the richness of ancient Chinese philosophy and art, King Louis XIV sent out six Jesuit missionaries in 1685 to explore ancient China, altering the course of history. While Louis XIV himself was a consummate model for European monarchs, his missionaries would soon meet another exemplary ruler, Emperor Kangxi. In fact, Louis XIV wrote a letter to Kangxi in 1688:…