Afronding van de onderhandelingen voor het huwelijk tussen Ferdinand VI en Maria Barbara van Portugal 1727

Editor: This is "Afronding van de onderhandelingen voor het huwelijk tussen Ferdinand VI en Maria Barbara van Portugal," an engraving from 1727 by Leonard Schenk, currently at the Rijksmuseum. The scene has a very formal, almost stilted feel. The details are incredible given that it's a print, but it looks so staged. What strikes you when you look at this piece? Curator: Staged is a great word for it. I’m transported to a time when power was negotiated, and even romance felt like a strategic alliance on a grand chessboard! The very precise lines and symmetry reinforce the idea that everything is meticulously planned and executed. Almost as if their feelings were etched as permanently as those lines. Does it not feel ironic to depict something as intimate as a marriage agreement through such a detached medium as engraving? Editor: Definitely, that irony makes it more intriguing, actually! But what do you mean by strategic alliance, more specifically? Curator: Well, marriages amongst royals weren't solely about love but cementing political and economic ties. Look at the composition—each figure carefully placed to convey importance and the room's details speak to wealth and power. Almost like a play for an audience yet only for a select few. And notice the glasses. One almost expects they seal their pact with drinks. Isn't that captivating? Editor: Absolutely! Seeing it as a strategic play makes the image come alive with hidden tensions and intentions. Thank you so much. Curator: My pleasure! Remember art often speaks volumes not through what’s shown, but through what's subtly suggested, or completely absent. This marriage isn’t just about the couple—it’s about kingdoms aligning.