Staatsieportret van koningin-regentes Emma 1890 - 1898

Wegner & Mottu made this photograph of Queen Emma of the Netherlands. The photograph presents Emma in full regal attire, complete with a tiara, sash, and gown, conveying the authority and dignity expected of a monarch. Dating from the late 19th century, this image reflects the formal conventions of royal portraiture prevalent at the time. In the Netherlands, the monarchy played a crucial role in national identity. Photography studios like Wegner & Mottu gained prominence by catering to the elite and immortalizing them through carefully posed portraits that signified status. Examining photographs like these reveals the intricate relationship between the monarchy, the emerging technologies of visual representation, and the cultivation of a national image. By consulting archives, newspapers, and other period documents, we can analyze how such images reinforced or challenged existing social structures. The meaning of this portrait, then, is contingent on its historical and institutional context.