Alan Rickman dons a wig and ornate costume to play France’s King Louis XIV in “A Little Chaos,” which he also directed. Rickman told us at a MoMA screening, “A lot goes into being Louis ...

Louis XIII may have started the trend, but his successor, Louis XIV, would take it to new heights. The four-year-old king succeeded his father in 1643, when Europe’s fashion capital was Madrid.

He didn't care for politics, but Louis XIV left behind artistic treasures. He died 300 years ago this month and France is celebrating by pulling out white wigs, masks and old instruments.