Portret van Robert II de Vrome, koning van Frankrijk 1838 - 1841

Ferdinand Delannoy created this portrait of Robert II, King of France, sometime between 1822 and 1887. It depicts the king regally, adorned with a crown and scepter, symbols of his power and divine right. Portraits like these were not just about appearances; they were strategic tools to solidify power and project an image of authority. Consider the weight of representation here: how Delannoy, a 19th-century artist, interprets a king who ruled in the Middle Ages. It makes you wonder about the layers of historical narrative and the power dynamics at play. How do we negotiate the distance between the 'real' Robert II and this 19th-century rendering? The portrait serves as a potent reminder of how images construct and reinforce narratives of power and identity. It invites us to reflect on who gets remembered, how they are remembered, and who gets to do the remembering.