Portret van Ferdinand van Portugal 1621

This engraving of Ferdinand of Portugal was created by Cornelis Galle I, sometime between 1576 and 1650, now held at the Rijksmuseum. During the 16th and 17th centuries, European society was rigidly stratified. Galle, through his work, navigated the complex dynamics of class, power, and representation. This portrait reflects a specific historical moment marked by religious conflict, colonial expansion, and the consolidation of monarchical power. Ferdinand's life as a prince intersects with the history of Portuguese exploration and expansion, during which Portugal established a vast colonial empire, bringing wealth to the nation but also perpetuating systems of slavery and exploitation. Notice the gaze of the sitter: what does it tell us about him? What is his relation to the social, political, and religious turbulence of the time? The portrait then becomes an entry point into a broader consideration of the values, beliefs, and power structures that shaped early modern Europe, and how these forces impacted individuals, societies, and the world at large.