Portret van Robrecht I de Fries, graaf van Vlaanderen 1650

Cornelis Visscher created this print, "Portret van Robrecht I de Fries, graaf van Vlaanderen," which now resides here at the Rijksmuseum, sometime between 1648 and 1658. Visscher made this portrait during the Dutch Golden Age, a period of unprecedented economic prosperity and cultural flourishing in the Netherlands, but it depicts a Flemish count from centuries earlier. The work is not just a historical record; it's a representation steeped in the socio-political dynamics of Visscher’s time. By portraying Robrecht I de Fries within the conventions of formal portraiture, Visscher invokes questions of power, identity, and historical memory. How do we frame figures from the past to serve contemporary narratives? The choice to depict a figure of nobility speaks to the values and aspirations of the Dutch elite. Consider how the intersection of class and cultural identity shapes the meaning of this piece. It's an emotional act of remembrance. How does this portrait invite us to reconsider our relationship with history?