Verheerlijking van Peter I de Grote, tsaar van Rusland c. 1766 - 1815

Philippe Trière made this print, "Verheerlijking van Peter I de Grote, tsaar van Rusland," meaning "The Glorification of Peter I the Great, Tsar of Russia," sometime between 1756 and 1815 using etching. Trière made this image during a period of significant cultural exchange between Russia and Europe, as Peter the Great sought to modernize his empire. Trière represents Peter as a divine and enlightened figure standing above a group of cherubic figures. Among these figures is a Black child carrying a book, a symbol of enlightenment, reminding us of the racialized and hierarchical world in which such supposed "enlightenment" was pursued. The Black figure is subservient to the white figures, reflecting the racial dynamics of the time. This artwork invites us to reflect on how historical narratives were constructed and how power dynamics, including those of race, were visually encoded in the art of the period. It shows how the construction of an emperor's legacy is always a complicated project.