Portretten van Wilhelmina, koningin der Nederlanden, en Hendrik van Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1901

This photographic print features Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands, and Hendrik of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. It’s monochrome, probably printed on paper, and what strikes me is the formal composition, a kind of heraldic image. Imagine the anonymous artist, meticulously arranging the portraits, thinking about layout and order. What were they aiming to communicate about royalty and power? Do you think they had fun doing it? I like to imagine them experimenting, trying different frames and fonts. The border design is particularly interesting; it is decorative and dense, which contrasts to the formal portraits of the royals. I think that image-making is always a conversation. The artist is responding to the subject and also to a history of portraiture. This piece reminds me of other formal portraits, yet it has its own unique voice. It shows us that artists constantly learn from, respond to, and push against tradition. It is a reminder that art is alive, and that is still evolving.