Portret van Leopold I 1883

Auguste Danse created this portrait of Leopold I, likely as an etching, with a plate height of 120mm. It is now housed in the Rijksmuseum. Danse, a 19th-century artist, would have been very aware of how portraiture could convey power. Here, Leopold wears his military uniform bedecked with medals. Danse has given him a strong jawline and a piercing gaze. These are all visual cues meant to establish the King's authority. Leopold was the first King of the Belgians, reigning from 1831 to 1865 during a period of significant political and social change. To fully understand the portrait's meaning, one could look to sources from the time – newspapers, political pamphlets, or even personal letters. What did people think of Leopold I? How did they perceive his role as a monarch during a time of revolution and industrialization? The image itself is only a starting point. Its true significance emerges when placed within the context of its time.