Portret van Jacobus II van Engeland 1724

Editor: This is a striking engraving from 1724, titled "Portret van Jacobus II van Engeland," by Bernard Picart, and it's currently at the Rijksmuseum. It's interesting how the stark lines create such a sense of formality and maybe even a little detachment. What do you see when you look at this portrait? Curator: It’s a fascinating piece precisely because of those stark lines, yes. Consider the symbols layered within: the oval frame, a classical form, implies a kind of enduring legacy or enshrined memory. Then you have Jacobus, James II, himself, practically overflowing with the regalia of kingship. What stands out to you about these symbols? Editor: Well, there’s a lot to take in, isn't there? All the details in the clothing – the lace, the ermine... It's almost overwhelming. It makes me think about how power is visually constructed. Curator: Exactly. Think about the lion rampant on his pendant. It is meant to instantly communicate a specific lineage, but what *feeling* does it evoke, especially contrasted with his actual expression? The artist is not just showing us *who* he is but making an argument about his place in history and collective memory. Do you find it convincing? Editor: Hmm, I'm not so sure. There is almost something unsettling about the amount of detail...almost too much? I guess, considering that, the simple frame really balances the piece. Curator: Perhaps that very tension – the man versus the constructed image – *is* the point. What survives is not necessarily the reality, but the symbol. And symbols, as powerful as they are, often obscure more than they reveal. Editor: That's a great way to put it. Thanks, I hadn’t thought about the conflicting message. It does make me rethink how I was judging it so quickly. Curator: My pleasure.