Final answer:
Louis XIV, the "Sun King," used ballet as a means of reinforcing his absolute rule and divine right, with performances often taking place at the luxurious Palace of Versailles. These spectacles underlined the monarchy's connection to grand artistry, as shown in Rigaud's idealized portrait, encapsulating the content loaded splendor associated with his reign.
Step-by-step explanation:
King Louis XIV of France, also known as the "Sun King", is famously associated with the ballet where he adopted this solar moniker. This occurred during one of the many extravagant court entertainments that he presided over at the opulent Palace of Versailles, a location synonymous with his reign. As a great patron of arts, Louis XIV's promotion of the visual and performing arts was part of his strategy to centralize power and reinforce his divine right to rule. The use of the ballet was a tool not only to entertain but also to project the image of his absolute power, tying the arts closely to the monarchy.
Portrayals like those in Rigaud's celebrated painting put an emphasis on his regal presence rather than his likeness, aligning the content loaded with opulence and the grandeur of his rule. Versailles itself, with its grandiose Hall of Mirrors and lavish lifestyle, acted as a backdrop to various spectacles, including ballets, which served to impress upon all the grandiosity of Louis XIV's court.