Portret van prins Eduard VII 1841 - 1868

Curator: Let’s consider this intriguing portrait, etched meticulously by Carl Mayer between 1841 and 1868. It's an engraving, housed here at the Rijksmuseum, titled "Portrait of Prince Edward VII." Quite striking, wouldn't you say? Editor: It definitely has a regal air about it. The details in the face and the sash are impressive, but it also feels a little… reserved, almost melancholic. How do you see it? Curator: Melancholy is a wonderful observation. This portrait, made with an old engraving style and perhaps touching on the Romanticism movement, wasn't simply capturing a likeness. Look at the shading; see how it sculpts his features, lending him an almost ethereal quality? This reflects the idealization of the monarchy prevalent in those days, even bordering on a kind of dramatic flair common in historical paintings. It makes me wonder about the emotional landscape Carl Mayer wished to present. Editor: I didn’t catch that Romanticism influence at first. That gives it another layer. Does the "history-painting" association mean this could have a deeper message to convey than just "this is the Prince"? Curator: Precisely. It serves as a symbolic representation of power, duty, and even vulnerability. Don't you feel Mayer captured a certain weight of responsibility in the young prince's eyes? And do ponder on the fact of when this was etched - Prince Edward wasn't King until 1901! Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way. It’s interesting how a portrait can be so much more than just a face. I’ll definitely look at portraits differently now. Curator: Art is a mirror to the soul of its time. Looking closely lets us glimpse the stories, not just the images.