Portret van Theuderik I 1647 - 1678

Curator: Well, what strikes you when you look at this print? I see a rather sober character framed in swirling Baroque extravagance. Editor: Somber, yes, but there's a twinkle in his eye! It’s mischievous almost. And all that script around the portrait... Feels a little overwhelming though. Curator: That's part of its charm, wouldn't you say? This is a piece entitled “Portret van Theuderik I,” dating somewhere between 1647 and 1678. The work is housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The Netherlands sure holds some grand histories! So, Theuderik… any thoughts on why Nicolas de Larmessin made this work, and what we should be looking for here? Curator: I suppose, as it's a portrait intended for print, it serves a somewhat accessible medium that commemorates an earlier King. The frame seems to evoke something timeless as a visual vehicle for powerful remembrance. Note the symbolic fleur-de-lis emblems around the brim of his hat. Editor: And they also crown the heraldry at the base too. So many little lilies! It's funny how symbols, intended to create order and cohesion, can feel visually chaotic when overdone, don’t you think? The formal framing constrains what feels like Theuderik’s slightly softer, slightly disheveled energy—the portrait offers some wonderful character nonetheless. It makes you question how real are all the symbols we use today. Curator: Maybe chaos is precisely what Theuderik represents in this piece? Perhaps there are questions about him personally or politically. Editor: Interesting thought! That's where the artistic soul makes it speak in ways far beyond history, symbols, or technique. Thanks! Curator: It’s a joy to wonder. Shall we move to our next piece?