Louis XIV was the creator of the French Absolutist system where he was the State. As a result, he becomes a major patron of the arts of which the Neo Classical design starts to appear. As a result, he would be the light of France through patronage of the arts which focused on classical references and structure. However, it was also a semi literal reference to himself where he would commission art that showed himself as the Sun God Apollo which I would show you if my iPad decided to past the link I wanted to give.

However it has a more literal aspect as well. He would be the king that leads France forward, as if he is the sun of a new French Day. Under Louis XIV, France would extend her borders to the Rhine and the Alps, the natural borders that would define French history for the next three hundred years. Further France would spread her culture and language to the point that most of the major kings and empresses of Europe would speak it over the language of the people they ruled (such as Catherine the Great and Frederick the Great).

Louis was the center of France and his self imposed image of it showed it. He would be the last major light of France until the Revolution.