Portret van keizer Leopold I 1670 - 1724

Editor: Here we have a Baroque engraving from sometime between 1670 and 1724 by Jacob Gole, a portrait of Leopold I, housed at the Rijksmuseum. The detail is pretty incredible for a print. There is even a landscape barely visible in the background! How would you approach interpreting a piece like this? Curator: Well, first off, let’s dive into the details. See how the oval framing device contains those enigmatic phrases in French and Dutch? It's like he's whispering secrets about political machinations. "The moon and the sun try to destroy me." Dramatic, isn’t it? Given Leopold’s reign was marked by constant struggles, against the Ottoman Empire and Louis XIV, the ‘Sun King’ of France, I cannot help but wonder whether these refer to those rival powers. What do you think? Editor: That's a compelling interpretation! I hadn't picked up on the "Sun King" connection with the French text, but the historical context certainly gives the artwork an intriguing extra layer. So, Gole is embedding a pointed commentary? Curator: Perhaps, and note how the background depicts a calm skyline. It serves to contrast the text, highlighting the pressures facing the Emperor despite this façade of serenity. Then there's the artistic license: his gaze, aloof, detached, and quite intimidating for the era. Are we meant to feel awe or is there, perhaps, an underlying critique, a commentary on the burden of power? Editor: That really makes you think. It’s not just a portrait, but a statement about leadership and maybe the isolation that comes with it. I initially saw a historical portrait, but now it feels much more complex, and nuanced. Thanks for this insight! Curator: It’s a journey of discovery. Now, I look at it and feel I know a little more about 17th century politics, even while it feels shrouded in a mystery. Art does that to you!