Portret van Frederik I van Pruisen c. 1670 - 1740

This engraving of Frederick I of Prussia was created by Gilliam van der Gouwen, capturing the King in a style deeply entrenched in the politics of representation. Set against the backdrop of burgeoning Prussian power, the portrait is filled with symbolism. Frederick is not merely depicted; he's constructed through emblems of authority, the accoutrements of royalty serving to broadcast his legitimacy and power. Notice the women attending to the king, likely representing virtues or allegorical figures, reinforcing the idea of divinely sanctioned rule. The artist invites us to consider how identity is crafted, consumed, and contested through visual culture. What does it mean to see a ruler so deliberately postured, so meticulously presented? It raises questions about the role of the monarchy, the weight of expectation, and the performance of power, that continue to echo in our contemporary moment.