Portret van Willem III, koning der Nederlanden, Emma, koningin-regentes der Nederlanden, en Wilhelmina, koningin der Nederlanden c. 1882 - 1910

Herman Frederik Carel ten Kate created this portrait of Willem III, Queen Emma, and Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands. This chromolithograph presents a formal composition, characterized by its ordered arrangement and symmetrical balance. The subjects are centered, flanked by domestic interior elements, which creates a sense of stability. Kate uses color to reinforce social hierarchy; dark, serious tones for the King, contrasting with the lighter shades of his wife and daughter. The structure invites a semiotic interpretation, where each element acts as a signifier. The King's military attire denotes power, whilst the Queen’s burgundy dress speaks to her role as regent. Such codes convey messages about authority, lineage, and the idealized image of monarchy. The use of domestic objects in the background such as vases and furniture functions as signifiers of wealth and cultured refinement. The portrait captures the era’s values, yet simultaneously challenges rigid notions of representation through its soft tones. This artwork serves as an ongoing exploration into the visual rhetoric of power and representation.