Dood van tsaar Peter I de Grote 1727

This print, made by Leonard Schenk in 1725, depicts the death of Tsar Peter I of Russia. It's an engraving, a medium that allowed for the relatively quick dissemination of images across Europe at the time. Consider the image's role in shaping public perception of the Tsar. The scene is set within a grand interior, emphasizing Peter's status and power, even in death. Courtiers surround his deathbed, their gestures conveying grief and perhaps anxiety about the succession. What does it mean to produce this print in Amsterdam? This was a time when the Dutch Republic and Russia were major trading partners. We might ask how the image participates in the political theater surrounding monarchy. Prints like these helped to construct and disseminate particular narratives about rulers, influencing public opinion and reinforcing power structures. Historians of political culture would examine such images alongside texts and other sources to understand how power was negotiated and represented in the early 18th century.