25 portretten van Chulalongkorn de Grote, de prinsen Svasti en Sommat, groothertog Vladimir Aleksandrovitsj Romanov en Nicolas, Raoul Pugno, Mark Twain en anderen before 1897

This undated print presents a collection of 25 portraits, encompassing figures like Chulalongkorn the Great, princes from Siam, Grand Duke Vladimir Aleksandrovich Romanov, and notable personalities such as Mark Twain. Created anonymously, likely in Europe, this compilation reflects the late 19th-century fascination with global figures and royalty. The inclusion of both European nobility and Siamese princes speaks to the era's imperial power dynamics and the West's interest in exoticizing distant lands. The presence of Mark Twain, a celebrated American author and social critic, adds another layer, suggesting a broader cultural interest beyond mere political power. The print itself, part of the "Collection Nilsson," was likely produced for commercial distribution, indicating a market for such imagery. Understanding the social conditions that shaped the production of such an image requires delving into the history of European imperialism, the rise of mass media, and the cultural obsession with celebrity and power. Resources such as period newspapers, journals, and archival records can help us reconstruct the context in which this image was created and consumed, revealing its complex relationship to the social and institutional forces of its time.