Filips V vlucht uit het Spaanse Hof, 1706 1706

This anonymous engraving from 1706, titled 'Filips V vlucht uit het Spaanse Hof', meticulously etches a moment of political turmoil. The print’s composition is dominated by the figure of King Philip V, rendered with precise, almost clinical lines, his ornate attire contrasting sharply with the dense blocks of text that surround him. This juxtaposition creates a visual tension, highlighting the ephemeral nature of power against the permanence of the written word. The linear quality of the engraving—the stark contrast between black and white, the detailed rendering of fabric and architectural elements—reflects a broader concern with clarity and order. The image, however, destabilizes this order through its allegorical representation of flight and vulnerability, turning the notion of divine right on its head. It is a paper king, escaping, suggesting a semiotic system where regality is not inherent but constructed and thus easily deconstructed. The rigid formality of the print underscores the fragility of the monarchy it depicts.