Portret van Theuderik II 1647 - 1678

This engraving, now held at the Rijksmuseum, was made by Nicolas de Larmessin I in the 17th century. It depicts Theuderik II framed within an oval and embellished with ribbons, heraldry, and text. The portrait's visual organization and semiotic content work together to create a statement about power and lineage. The sharp, precise lines of the engraving articulate the subject's features and clothing, while the oval frame and surrounding decorative elements work to isolate and elevate the royal figure. This framing directs our focus, constructing a visual hierarchy that reinforces the subject's importance. The ribbons and heraldic symbols situated around the portrait function as signs of status and identity, embedding Theuderik II within a network of historical and cultural meanings. The structural composition, combined with the semiotic richness of the added symbols, operates to not only present an image but also to communicate a complex set of ideas about authority and historical continuity. Theuderik II is not merely represented, but actively constructed as a figure of significance through a calculated arrangement of visual elements.