Honderdjarige herdenking van de geboorte van Willem van Oranje 1933 1933

Editor: So this is “Honderdjarige herdenking van de geboorte van Willem van Oranje,” a metal print from 1933 by M.P.J. Fleur. It depicts William of Orange in profile, looking very stately. The metal has an almost photographic quality. What’s particularly striking about this work for you? Curator: It’s a commemorative piece, steeped in political imagery. The centennial celebrations were intentionally constructed. Consider the year – 1933 – Europe was on the precipice of massive political shifts. This medal isn’t just about remembering history, but actively shaping national identity during a turbulent period. Notice the deliberate choice to emulate Neoclassicism; why do you think that is? Editor: It seems like an attempt to associate William of Orange with ideas of stability, order, and perhaps a golden age? To connect the past to the present through visual language? Curator: Precisely. And that aesthetic choice isn't neutral; it suggests an unbroken chain of leadership, legitimizing the contemporary sociopolitical structure through an idealized past. The imagery around Willem is also relevant. In your opinion, what would be his most notable trait? Editor: Maybe his tenacity. Curator: His resistance to outside intervention made him someone worthy of glorifying during a rise of extremist parties. It begs the question of what purposes the memory of him was employed for during the interwar years. Editor: So the piece isn't just a portrait, it’s an argument? That really reframes how I see it. Thanks, that was helpful. Curator: My pleasure! History is always in dialogue with the present, so never think of something "historical" to be set in stone.