Portret van Hendrik I de Vogelaar 1557 - 1559

Curator: Look at this fascinating print! It’s a portrait of Hendrik I de Vogelaar, or Henry the Fowler, created sometime between 1557 and 1559 by Joos Gietleughen. What catches your eye? Editor: Hmm, there's something very detached about him... aloof even. I wonder if it's the severe profile, but it gives a sense of unreachability, like looking at a statue in the park. And yet, there’s an inherent sense of strength about him too, it's a bit magnetic really. Curator: Absolutely, profile portraits were often used to convey authority. What do you think of the fact that it is placed within the representation of a coin? This connects to the broader cultural memory of representing rulers and important figures throughout history, echoing the ancient Roman emperors depicted on coins as a symbol of power and legacy. Editor: It works, creating that separation! The image then is less a portrait, and more an ideal or perhaps a projection of how a ruler wanted to be perceived. Plus the coin itself, makes the image, in essence, mass reproducible! Power distributed by reproduction. Curator: Precisely! The medium itself—an engraving—lends itself to this reproduction, and thus widespread distribution. The text accompanying the portrait, "Soys tardif à la vengeance, et tresprompt a bien faire," roughly translates to "Slow to take revenge, and quick to do good." What do you think this advice tells us? Editor: The idea of him waiting on revenge is something to ponder given what a brute rulers could be back then... A lesson perhaps aimed at aspiring emperors or reminders of how to stay in the peoples' favour? An unusual request. Almost funny to be giving leadership tips hundreds of years later like that! Curator: Indeed, the enduring nature of this image and its message allows us to engage in an ongoing dialogue across time. The imagery encapsulates a potent mix of political and moral intent, giving this piece a fascinating symbolic load. Editor: It definitely has. You've given me a completely fresh set of eyes. Now I'm seeing less a detached potentate and more a manual on what to tell the newspapers back in the day. Thanks for bringing that out!