Diederik, eerste hertog der West-Friezen 1618 - 1620

This engraving of Diederik, the first Duke of West Frisia, was created by Pieter Feddes van Harlingen. Notice the composition: The Duke stands prominently in the center, flanked by his coat of arms and a landscape. The formal arrangement presents a duality. The Duke himself is rendered with fine lines, yet the overall effect is quite flat. The composition has a binary structure, juxtaposing symbolic representation with a hint of spatial depth in the background. The landscape is not just background scenery but a symbolic space reflecting the Duke's dominion. This interplay between flatness and depth, symbolic and real, destabilizes the image. It invites us to question the nature of representation itself and reflect on the symbolic structures of power and identity.