Uitrijden van de prins van Oranje na het bijwonen van een vergadering van de Staten-Generaal en de Raad van State, 1763 1763

Curator: This etching, made in 1763, is titled "Uitrijden van de prins van Oranje na het bijwonen van een vergadering van de Staten-Generaal en de Raad van State"—quite a mouthful! It depicts the Prince of Orange leaving after attending a meeting of the States-General and the Council of State. Editor: It strikes me as surprisingly regimented, almost performative. The whole scene, from the rigid lines of the buildings to the orderly procession, seems to emphasize power and control. Curator: Precisely. Iven Besoet, the artist, uses baroque style conventions to visually assert the Prince's authority. Notice the meticulously detailed architecture that hems in the teeming crowd, framing his exit. It's more than just a record; it's carefully constructed propaganda. Editor: Propaganda, yes, but also a snapshot of a particular social order. The figures are generalized; it lacks the individualized portrayals you might find in portraiture. This is about the spectacle of governance more than about any specific individuals within the crowd. I wonder about the folks who witnessed this. What were their lives like relative to the grandeur of the leaving prince? Curator: A very relevant question! The engraving medium itself—allowing for mass production—suggests a desire to disseminate this image widely, instilling, perhaps, a sense of awe or submission among the populace. The use of engraving, which allowed to be reproduced again and again, further amplified that power by its availability. I do see it as rather beautiful too though, the clouds! The way that tiny lines are etched out to form the clouds. Editor: Beautiful, maybe. Complicated, definitely. An image like this asks us to think critically about the relationships between representation, power, and the daily lives of the represented. What’s being presented and who benefits? Curator: Right, the baroque period was full of displays of this sort, where even seemingly harmless pieces reinforced established orders and ways of seeing the world. Thanks for shedding your light on this historical piece! Editor: Thanks for creating space to examine what is both represented and unrepresented here. There are always blind spots, wouldn't you say?