Portret van Wilhelmina, koningin der Nederlanden 1897

Richard Kameke made this photographic portrait of Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands, sometime between 1890 and 1898. The young queen is adorned in a fur-lined cape, jewelry, and a crown, signifiers of power and status at the time. This image speaks to late 19th-century notions of identity and monarchy. Wilhelmina became queen at the young age of 10, and representations such as this played a crucial role in shaping the public's perception of her. The photograph is not just a depiction of a young girl, but an embodiment of Dutch national identity. Consider the weight of expectation placed on Wilhelmina; as a female ruler, she had to negotiate a male-dominated political landscape. This portrait is a window into the construction of gender and power during a pivotal era in European history. It invites us to reflect on the personal and political dimensions of leadership, and how identity is both performed and perceived.