Willem III gehuldigd als heer van Friesland, 1328 1748 - 1750

Curator: This is Pieter Tanjé’s engraving, "Willem III gehuldigd als heer van Friesland, 1328," created between 1748 and 1750. It’s currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It has the feel of meticulously crafted theatre. The tonal range created by the engraving process evokes a real sense of depth in what would otherwise be a quite formal arrangement of figures. Curator: Tanjé really captures a historical moment laden with political weight. Look at Willem III elevated above the crowd, a literal embodiment of power via those doing the physical labor to raise him. The surrounding figures express submission or cautious celebration; an immediate relationship is made between labor, material, and sovereignty. Editor: Yes, and I see it fitting into the broader scope of Dutch history painting, deployed to reinforce specific narratives about national identity and leadership. That bowing figure highlights that deference. How was Tanjé, in the mid-18th century, using this moment from the 14th century? Curator: Indeed. This wasn't just a neutral record; the very act of memorializing Willem III in this manner shaped the reception of his authority for the consumption of Tanjé's public. It almost functions like a piece of political marketing. But let's appreciate how much work must have gone into preparing the copperplate itself, especially considering the fine details Tanjé rendered using the engraver’s burin. Editor: True, Tanjé would have had an interesting working life, commissioned to produce and reproduce imagery within specific visual frameworks. I agree with you that, by focusing on the image’s production, the social function of images also become evident; an explicit link to power, really. Curator: The relationship is very visible here. And ultimately, a lot of skilled labor underpins our art history and cultural assumptions today. Editor: I'll remember Tanjé now! A cog in a bigger symbolic machine but nonetheless contributing to a wider political picture.