Portret van Sophie, prinses der Nederlanden 1840 - 1868

Curator: The Rijksmuseum holds this intimate portrait, a lithograph by Carl Mayer, titled "Portret van Sophie, prinses der Nederlanden," dating roughly from 1840 to 1868. Editor: It's like catching a whispered secret, isn't it? A quiet observation…The softness of the print seems to gently shroud the subject, as if she’s a dream. Curator: A print such as this makes art accessible, using the reproduction process to engage an audience that couldn't afford a unique painting. Think of the democratization inherent in its very existence. Editor: Democratization indeed, or perhaps more like diluted aura! The original has that “untouchable” status that this cannot possess. Still, something about the materials—the paper’s aged hue, the lithographic ink – there’s a strange tension there... nostalgic perhaps? Curator: There is a formality there but a kind one, her gaze and slight smile draw you in and the artist managed to keep this warmth using the simple lithographic means. Also this portrait was commissioned – can you see that in it? Does it fulfill certain material or cultural functions? Editor: The material’s texture offers an undeniable history of production that reflects on those economic models present during Sophie's time and on consumption processes of its era. I imagine each individual impression as evidence and tangible link, even today, to its society's hierarchies and practices... a society obsessed by the need for reproduction, which is deeply rooted in power relations. Curator: It makes one consider the role of portraiture in defining and disseminating notions of royalty in the mid-19th century… It whispers rather than proclaims. I feel that. And her expression, slightly melancholic, hints at an inner world… almost as if it's longing... I am feeling almost like knowing her intimate emotions. Editor: And thinking of its process... The making mirrors hierarchy with skilled hands at each level from preparation until its distribution on paper! A labor divided to represent someone viewed as the superior one! The choice of print here becomes deeply strategic in itself. Curator: So, Carl Mayer’s print here captures, and quietly reflects Sophie's delicate and complex character. Thanks so much for giving it extra depth! Editor: And thank you for sharing your view! By studying this portrait from Carl Mayer through materials’ history it made this seemingly frail Princess reveal surprising layers to discover – indeed material culture!