De koning van Thule c. 1847 - 1863

Johannes Christiaan d' Arnaud Gerkens created this print called ‘De koning van Thule’. The image pulls from Goethe’s poem about a king’s unwavering loyalty, but what does it tell us about 19th-century Dutch culture and its relationship to romantic ideals of fidelity and loss? In this period, marked by significant social changes and burgeoning nationalism, such themes resonated deeply. Representations of kingship often served to explore notions of leadership, duty, and personal sacrifice. Here, the king, isolated in his grief, becomes an emblem of steadfastness in the face of change. Notice the somber tone of the print. The muted palette and careful detailing invite reflection on the complex interplay between personal emotion and public persona. Gerkens captures a sense of introspective melancholy, which offers a window into the values and emotional landscape of the time. How might the themes of faithfulness and mourning as depicted here reflect or challenge the period’s understanding of identity and emotion?