Portret van Godfried Chodkiewicz, hertog van Moskou 1591 - 1651

This etching, Portret van Godfried Chodkiewicz, hertog van Moskou, was created by Gerard Seghers in the 17th century. It offers a glimpse into the complex cultural and political landscape of the time. Seghers, a Flemish artist, probably never met Godfried Chodkiewicz. The work likely reflects a growing fascination in Western Europe with exoticized images of Eastern European nobility. Through the visual codes of costume and physiognomy, the artist constructs an image of a powerful, perhaps even fearsome, figure. The work raises questions about the politics of representation and the ways in which cultural institutions, like printmaking workshops, participate in shaping perceptions of foreign cultures. To understand the context of its creation, one might explore the history of trade and diplomacy between Western Europe and Russia. As art historians, we delve into archives, libraries, and other historical resources to uncover the social and institutional contexts that shaped the artwork’s creation and reception. Through this research, we come to understand the meaning of art is always contingent on its historical moment.