Portret van Hubert Matthijs Adriaan Jan van Asch van Wijk 1844

This is a portrait of Hubert Matthijs Adriaan Jan van Asch van Wijk, made in the Netherlands by Michel Mourot through the medium of lithography. Van Asch van Wijk was a prominent statesman, a member of the First Chamber, and the mayor of Utrecht, and this image presents an opportunity to consider the relationship between political power and visual representation in the 19th century. The portrait employs visual codes associated with authority. His formal attire, complete with ornate decorations, signifies his high social standing and contributions to the state. Lithography allowed for the relatively easy reproduction of images, so portraits like this would have helped to circulate the image of leading politicians within the Netherlands. As historians, we might look into the archives of the First Chamber or the records of the city of Utrecht, as well as the family history of the sitter, to understand more about how Van Asch van Wijk’s image was constructed and circulated, and what role he played in Dutch society.