Kroning van Willem IV, 1831 1831 - 1839

Editor: Here we have "Coronation of William IV, 1831", dating from 1831-1839 by John Doyle, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. It’s a watercolour… and my first impression is one of, almost satirical observation, a street scene perhaps. The figures seem stiff, self-conscious, parading for an audience that isn’t really there. What do you make of it? Curator: Satirical, yes! Doyle's watercolours are brimming with keen, insightful social commentary; He's a bit of a playful rogue with a paintbrush! It is a street scene; it is a procession and yet something feels ‘off’, doesn't it? Perhaps it's the somewhat amateurish execution. Doyle's strength lies not in painterly skills, but in how sharply he can observe the quirks of human behaviour, in the almost comical way that status is performed here. Editor: You’re right. There’s almost a caricatured element to their pomposity! And the watercolour, being a very light medium, creates a slightly detached, reportage kind of feel. I hadn't quite picked up on that satire, but now I definitely see it! Curator: Precisely! Doyle seems to have been something of an outsider looking in, using his art to cast a wry eye over the societal performances he was witnessing. It is all about appearances isn't it. Almost performative. He doesn't miss a trick! The contrast between the seriousness of the occasion and the slight awkwardness of the subjects – wonderful. And do note that the medium -watercolour- almost adds to the air of something incomplete or impermanent... fleeting... Do you see that too? Editor: Absolutely. Thanks to you, I see so much more in it now than I did at first glance. The satirical undertones really come to life! Curator: It's like Doyle whispers, “Look closely…it's all just a bit absurd, isn't it?”. Which perhaps says more about human nature than Royal Coronations themselves!