Portret van prins Willem III 1840

Editor: This is a portrait of Prince William III, made in 1840 by Franciscus Bernardus Waanders. It's an engraving, quite detailed. I'm struck by how this image seems to want to associate the sitter with the grandeur of a bygone era. What are your thoughts when you look at this work? Curator: Well, immediately I'm thinking about the politics of image-making and the function of portraiture. This print, made well after William III's reign, taps into a historical narrative. We see him in armour, evoking a sense of strength and authority, while the baroque style alludes to power, but from a distance, already passed. The choice of engraving, a reproducible medium, is also significant; it speaks to disseminating this image, creating and reinforcing a particular version of history for a wider public. Editor: That's fascinating! The fact that it's reproducible gives it a completely different dimension. Do you think the artist was trying to make a statement about contemporary Dutch politics? Curator: It's highly likely. The 19th century was a time of nation-building and the construction of national identity. Revisiting and reimagining historical figures like William III served a purpose. He was being used to project specific qualities and virtues onto the present, and that helps to legitimize the current government through the associations this evokes. Why choose to showcase THIS depiction of William? What does the past have to tell the current regime and its peoples? Editor: So, it’s not just about remembering history, but using it to shape the present. Curator: Precisely! This portrait operates within a larger network of social and political forces, working to solidify a particular view of the nation and its rulers. Editor: I never thought about historical portraits being quite so... active. Thanks! Curator: Absolutely! It’s about seeing art not as isolated objects, but as participants in broader historical processes. Always think: Who is trying to convey what - and to whom?