Portret van keizer Jozef II 1826

Henri Grevedon created this print of Emperor Joseph II. Notice the medals adorning his chest, symbols of power and status, echoing the laurel wreaths of Roman emperors—themselves a carryover from Greek traditions of honoring gods and heroes. These symbols create a lineage with the past that is still present. Think of the eagle, for example, prominently featured in the medals: from the Roman Empire to modern national flags, it persists, embodying authority and vigilance. The very act of depicting a ruler in profile, as we see here, also harkens back to ancient coins and busts, aiming to project an image of strength and ideal leadership. However, it's important to remember that symbols are polyvalent. The image of the sovereign invites us to contemplate how we invest our leaders with meaning and project our own desires and anxieties onto them. These symbols persist, transformed, yet still resonating with primal human impulses.