Portret van Willem III, prins van Oranje 1688 - 1749

This is an engraving depicting Willem III, Prince of Orange. Note how the symbols of power – the crown, scepter, and orb – are deliberately placed alongside his portrait, framed within a laurel wreath, itself a classical emblem of triumph and immortality. Consider how the orb, a globe surmounted by a cross, has journeyed through time. Emerging in antiquity as a symbol of earthly dominion, it was later adopted by Christian emperors to signify their divinely sanctioned rule over the world. This motif echoes in countless royal portraits across Europe. It isn't merely a representation of power, but a potent psychological assertion of legitimacy and control, passed down through generations, each ruler adding their own layer to the symbol’s complex history. The orb is no simple object; it is an archive of ambition, faith, and the ever-shifting dynamics of power that continue to engage our collective memory on a subconscious level. Its cyclical progression through time is clear.