Ontwerp voor het kader rond een portret van Hendrik VIII 1692 - 1713

This is Adriaen van der Werff’s design for a portrait frame of Henry VIII, made around 1700 with pen and red-brown ink. The design is dominated by symbols of power and triumph, with a laurel wreath encircling the space for the king’s portrait and a royal coat of arms beneath. The laurel wreath, an ancient symbol of victory and honor, reappears throughout history, from adorning Roman emperors to Renaissance paintings. Similarly, the coat of arms, a visual representation of lineage and authority, anchors the composition in the concrete world of dynastic power. Consider how the symbolic charge of the wreath has been both preserved and transformed. It has roots in ancient Greece, where it signified not only military triumph but also athletic and artistic achievements. The visual language speaks to our collective memory, engaging viewers on a subconscious level, stirring feelings of admiration and respect. These motifs are not static; their emotional resonance shifts through time, reflecting changing social and political landscapes.