Willem den eersten, / Koning der Nederlanden, / Prins van Oranje-Nassau, / Groot Hertog van Luxemburg, / etc. etc. etc. 1831 - 1854

Editor: So, here we have "Willem den eersten," a drawing in ink on paper by Jan Oortman, created sometime between 1831 and 1854. It's a portrait, but within this elaborate landscape setting... it almost feels like looking at a stage production. What catches your eye about this piece? Curator: It whispers to me of Dutch pride, a little bombastic, don't you think? It is like stepping back into a time of nascent nationhood. I find myself drawn to the composition: a king regally framed amidst symbols of both nature's bounty and military strength. The drawing is intricate and academic in style, very neatly executed. Do you notice the almost playful juxtaposition of war and peace in the emblems chosen for the frame? What does the 'JE MAINTIENDRAI' motto suggest to you, framed like that beneath the King? Editor: I do now! The juxtaposition seems intended to project the King’s strength, I suppose - it is kind of boasting and claiming resolve. But something about it also feels quite old-fashioned, even for the 1830s. Was this kind of representation common at the time? Curator: Absolutely! Consider this piece as a form of visual propaganda, aimed at solidifying the monarchy's image during a period of political transition and nation-building. The academic approach adds gravitas to the subject; the king must be elevated. To me it echoes earlier eras, yes, which perhaps suggests some unease among the Dutch, in needing to constantly re-assert their values. It also resonates, personally, with my grandmother’s garden. Neat. Regimented. Perfectly ordered. Editor: Interesting, I hadn't considered it that way. I was focusing on the detail within the frame, not so much *why* it was included. Curator: Precisely! Art's all about peeling back the layers, and what you, the viewer, bring to it as well! So, did our chat give you a different insight today? Editor: Definitely. I am definitely taking my grandmother to the Rijks next week!