Portret van Christiane Eberhardine, koningin van Polen en keurvorstin van Saksen 1697 - 1733

This is Martin Bernigeroth’s portrait of Christiane Eberhardine, Queen of Poland and Electress of Saxony, made using engraving techniques in the early 18th century. The image presents her as a figure of power and status, as she is adorned in elaborate garments and jewelry. Bernigeroth uses visual codes that were conventional for royal portraiture at the time, such as the inclusion of a crown and luxurious fabrics, which can tell us about the politics of imagery and the social conditions that shape artistic production. The portrait tells us about the role of women in European royal courts, the representation of power, and the circulation of images in early modern Europe. In order to understand this image better, we can look into the history of the Polish and Saxon royal families, the role of women in politics, and the development of printmaking as a medium for disseminating propaganda. The meaning of this artwork is always contingent on social and institutional context.