Rouwzaal met de lijkkist en regalia van koning Willem I, 1843 1844

Jan van der Kaa created this print in 1843, depicting the mourning hall with the coffin and regalia of King Willem I. Dominating the scene is the king’s coffin, draped and canopied, flanked by the stark regalia of power – the crown and scepter. These symbols, intended to project authority, find their roots in ancient Rome, reappearing throughout European history, each time adapted to assert dominion. Consider the crown, an emblem of sovereignty, also reminiscent of a halo, a visual motif adopted by early Christians to denote holiness. The somber atmosphere, heavy with loss, evokes deep psychological responses. This is a carefully constructed space where the symbols of power become symbols of mortality. The regalia, now silent, remind us of the cyclical nature of life and death. These symbols will surely be resurrected again, reborn in new contexts, carrying forward the complex dance between power and memory.