Portret van Anna van Kleef, koningin van Engeland 1739

Editor: So, here we have Jacob Houbraken’s 1739 engraving, "Portret van Anna van Kleef, koningin van Engeland" – Anne of Cleves, Queen of England. It has a certain stateliness, almost coldness to it, even though the framing is quite ornate. What jumps out at you when you see this? Curator: Oh, the story whispered by that crown held by the cherubic figure! Think about Anne, a pawn in Henry VIII's quest for an heir. He dismissed her as looking like a "Flanders Mare," yet here she is, memorialized in ink. Isn't there a bittersweet irony? The heaviness of the queen versus the lightness of the cupid. It’s delicious, like biting into a marzipan skull. What do you think? Editor: That contrast is very interesting! So, you see this engraving not just as a portrait, but also as a commentary on Anne's life and Henry's perception of her? Curator: Precisely! It's Houbraken's dance between what was, and what *could* have been. It's a game of glances between the ornate frame and the quiet eyes of a discarded queen. Do you see it now? The picture is a palimpsest. Editor: Definitely! I initially saw a stiff, formal portrait, but I’m now picking up a quiet resilience, or maybe even a subtle rebellion. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure! Remember art whispers secrets, we simply need to learn how to listen.