Portret van koningin Hortense de Beauharnais 1837

Jean Nicolas Laugier created this print of Queen Hortense de Beauharnais, sometime in the early 19th century. As a print, this image belongs to a growing visual culture in which the likenesses of public figures, especially royalty, were widely circulated and consumed. Consider the role of portraiture in solidifying power and social standing, especially in post-revolutionary France, as the nation moved from republic to empire and back again. It’s clear that the French monarchy, in its various forms, understood the politics of imagery, using it both to project power and to shape public perception. To better understand this image, consider the life of Hortense, her position as the stepdaughter of Napoleon Bonaparte, and her marriage to his brother Louis. Consider also the instability of the period and the Bourbon restoration. These are all key contextual factors that influence the meaning we can draw from this image.