Portret van koningin Marie Henriëtte van Oostenrijk before 1866

This photograph captures Queen Marie Henriëtte of Austria, its creation attributed to the Ghémar Frères. Observe how the pearls adorn her neck and wrists, symbols of purity, wealth, and status deeply rooted in centuries of aristocratic portraiture. The pearl, a gem born of the sea, has long held a place in the iconography of power, reminiscent of Botticelli's Venus, emerging from the ocean's depths. Yet, consider the weight these symbols carry, not merely as markers of status, but as emblems of societal expectations. The pearls, like the expectations placed upon Marie Henriëtte, become a tangible burden, a constant reminder of her role and responsibilities. This image, like so many others, invites us to contemplate the intricate dance between surface and substance, between the symbols we display and the realities they conceal.