Grootvorst van Moskou te paard 1577

Abraham de Bruyn made this engraving of the Grand Prince of Moscow on horseback sometime in the late 16th century. The image presents us with ideas about power and how it is performed on the world stage. De Bruyn was from Antwerp, and he was part of a well-established industry that produced images for a growing market of collectors and institutions. Consider how meaning is created here. The figure's elaborate clothing and the horse's ornamentation signify wealth and status. The Grand Prince's upright posture and the staff he carries are visual cues that signal authority. Prints like this circulated widely throughout Europe, shaping perceptions of foreign rulers and far-off lands. To understand this work better, we can consult period sources such as travelogues, diplomatic records, and costume books. It reminds us that our understanding of art is always shaped by the social and institutional contexts in which it is made and viewed.