Lijk van prinses Anna van Hannover op het praalbed 1759 - 1761

Simon Fokke made this engraving of Princess Anna of Hanover in the Netherlands. In the 18th century, images of deceased royalty served significant public roles. Here, Princess Anna is displayed on her deathbed, surrounded by symbols of her status: coats of arms, crowns, and a lavishly decorated room. The text below the image states that this representation was drawn ‘nae de Natuur’, from nature, emphasizing the truthfulness and accuracy of the portrayal. This was a time when the concept of divine right was very much alive, with royal power seen as divinely ordained, with the king or queen as God's representative on earth. Reproducing the dead body of Princess Anna served as a form of political communication, reinforcing the symbolic power of the monarchy through formal visual codes. By studying historical records, such as letters, diaries, and official documents, we can understand how these images were received and interpreted by contemporary audiences. Art history, like history itself, is contingent on social and institutional contexts.