Paleis van Erik Fleming in Stockholm 1670

Jean Marot created this print of the Paleis van Erik Fleming in Stockholm sometime in the 17th century. Marot, as a prominent member of the French Marot dynasty of architects and engravers, circulated idealized, yet technical, images of European architecture. Here, the Paleis van Erik Fleming stands as a testament to the power and wealth of the Swedish aristocracy during Sweden's imperial era. But the print also speaks to how power is visualized. The building's symmetrical facade and the formal arrangement of space around it speak to the era's emphasis on order and reason. These were concepts closely tied to the authority and legitimacy of the ruling classes. It's interesting to reflect on who would have viewed this print then and who views it now. How does our understanding of power and privilege change our reading of this palace? What stories are told or omitted in this depiction of grandeur?