Portret van Willem III, prins van Oranje 1738

Jan Caspar Philips produced this print of William III in the eighteenth century. It’s an image that tells us a lot about the Dutch relationship with their royalty. Note how the trappings of power and status are front and centre. William is adorned in finery, his status announced by the circular inscription which translates as, “William III, King of Great Britain, Stadtholder of Holland”. Below this is a representation of naval power. This is no accident. The House of Orange was instrumental in the establishment of the Dutch Republic, and William III himself was a key figure in resisting French expansionism. Philips produced this image at a time when the Dutch Republic had been in existence for around a century. In his image, Philips reminds viewers of the Republic’s origins. It evokes national pride, but also implicitly supports a hierarchical social and political order. The social history of art reminds us that even seemingly straightforward images like this one can be read in multiple ways when we take account of their original context.