Portret van Ferdinand II von Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha, gemaal van koningin Maria II van Portugal 1840 - 1855

Carl Mayer created this print of Ferdinand II of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, consort to Queen Maria II of Portugal. It speaks to the 19th-century culture of monarchy and its representation. Note the careful visual codes: the military dress, sash, and the orders he wears denote power and status, reinforcing his role as a royal figure. Commissioned during a time of shifting European monarchies, this image would have circulated among an elite audience invested in maintaining the established social order. Institutions like the court played a pivotal role, commissioning such portraits to project specific images of their leaders. Understanding this artwork means understanding the social and political functions of portraiture in 19th-century Europe. Researching the history of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha dynasty and the visual culture surrounding European royalty would further illuminate the context of this portrait. Studying art, then, depends on understanding its connection to social and institutional context.