Udkast til en dekorationsbygning i anledning af et kongeligt pars bryllup 1731

Marcus Tuscher created this ink drawing, "Draft for a Decorative Building for a Royal Wedding," at an unknown date. Drawings like this offer a glimpse into the performative aspects of royal power during the 18th century. Tuscher's design blends neoclassical architectural elements with overt displays of wealth and status, with a statue of a triumphant male figure at its center. The figures in the windows watch the spectacle from above, suggesting a hierarchy inherent in these celebrations. The Latin inscription across the top translates to English as ‘With good wishes and with public joy’. Royal weddings were significant political events, used to solidify alliances and project an image of strength. They also underscored the gendered expectations of the time, where royal women were expected to embody virtues of purity and fertility, while royal men embodied power and leadership. Tuscher's drawing is a reminder of the complex ways in which power, gender, and class were negotiated and displayed in the public sphere.