Lodewijk XIV en Jacobus II en de aanslag op het leven van Willem III door sir George Barclay 1696

Editor: This is a metal relief, specifically an engraving, from 1696 called "Lodewijk XIV en Jacobus II en de aanslag op het leven van Willem III door sir George Barclay", currently residing at the Rijksmuseum. It feels almost like political propaganda given the subject matter, but what do you see in it? Curator: It’s more than just propaganda; it’s a fascinating materialization of anxieties around power, succession, and religious conflict. Who is being centered here, and what do their visual representations imply about the artist’s—and potentially the patron’s—political leanings? Editor: I notice the names "Herodes" and "Pilatus" are inscribed next to the two faces on the one side of the engraving. Curator: Exactly. This isn't a simple portrait; it's a strategic deployment of historical analogy. Linking Louis XIV and James II to Herod and Pilate—figures associated with injustice and tyranny—offers a scathing critique. What does that suggest about the perceived threat they posed to William III and, more broadly, to Protestant England? Editor: So it's about casting them as villains using historical figures? It also feels very intentional, this pairing of names...almost biblical. Curator: Precisely. The use of biblical allusions invites viewers to interpret contemporary politics through the lens of religious morality. Consider how the visual language of the Baroque, with its emphasis on drama and spectacle, amplifies this message. What emotional response do you think the artist was aiming for? Editor: Definitely something negative! A feeling of distrust. It's also fascinating to see how even small objects can carry so much political weight and cultural commentary. Curator: Indeed. And these kinds of objects help us understand the deep entrenchment of these power dynamics and the sophisticated ways people negotiated them through art. Looking at art this way, by delving into the contexts, allows us to connect past struggles to contemporary issues of justice and representation.