Curatorial Narrative The anonymous creator of “Flag of France” situates the artwork within the rarefied realm of 17th-century French art, where the ascendancy of minimalist design and modernist sensibilities was beginning to take hold. Painted between 1667 and 1670, this work exemplifies a nascent interest in stripping artistic expression down to its most fundamental elements, here manifest as fine brushwork and an austere palette composed of white, blue, and black. The artist’s technique is characterized by a studied restraint, with each element calibrated to contribute to the overall atmospheric weight of the piece. When enlarged to 44×63, “Flag of France” reveals itself to be a masterclass in spatial rhythm and chromatic structure. The minimalist design, which at first glance appears to be an exercise in reduction, instead proves to be a sophisticated manipulation of visual tension and release. As the viewer’s eye navigates the