Huwelijk van koning Hendrik IV van Frankrijk met Maria de' Medici 1638

Pieter Nolpe's print, made in the Netherlands around 1613, depicts the marriage of King Henry IV of France to Maria de Medici. These kinds of images played a crucial public role, as they were designed to celebrate and legitimize political power. The image creates meaning through visual codes and cultural references that would have been easily understood at the time. Monarchs are surrounded by allegorical figures, angels, and symbols of power. The work suggests that the authority of Kings and Queens is divinely sanctioned, and represents their relationship as a glorious event in a manner that deliberately recalls ancient Triumphs. The image certainly presents a conservative vision, reinforcing the authority of social hierarchies. Historians can draw on a range of resources such as court documents and popular literature to understand the social and institutional context of works like this. The meaning of art is contingent on these contexts.