Catharina de Grote spreidt haar benen voor Jozef II 1787 - 1790

Editor: This is a rather… provocative engraving from around 1787-1790, titled "Catharina de Grote spreidt haar benen voor Jozef II," which translates to "Catherine the Great Spreads Her Legs Before Joseph II.” It’s attributed to an anonymous artist and housed at the Rijksmuseum. What strikes me is how overtly political it seems for something created using such fine lines. What do you make of it? Curator: Political satire often adopts a bold visual language, relying on recognizable symbols to deliver its message. What seems ‘provocative’ to our modern sensibilities was a direct, if crude, commentary on power dynamics of the era. Observe how Catherine is depicted, enthroned almost like a fertility goddess, in contrast to the smaller, seemingly shocked Joseph. The map beneath her references territory and influence, almost as an intimate offering, loaded with imperial meaning. The cultural memory plays heavily with the established personas of these historical figures. What assumptions about Catherine's character does this print seem to play upon? Editor: Well, that she was ambitious and willing to use…her influence in various ways, not always diplomatically. Is the act itself supposed to represent Russia's expansion? Curator: Precisely. Consider how this image participates in constructing and perpetuating stereotypes and prejudices about powerful women. This piece attempts to symbolically render Catherine as actively displaying a willingness to utilize a spectrum of influence and/or authority to sway or command. Consider the poem written at the bottom of the print as well to lend context to Catherine’s actions. How does all of this speak to gendered assumptions about power at the time? Editor: It’s fascinating how loaded one image can be with layers of meaning! Thank you, I would have simply glanced over it otherwise. Curator: Indeed. Visual culture is rich with echoes of the past, constantly shaping how we see and understand the present.