Begrafenisstoet van Anna Paulowna (blad 9), 1865 1865

This anonymous drawing from 1865 depicts the funeral procession of Anna Paulowna. Consider the spectacle of royal mourning in the mid-19th century: the elaborate carriage, the solemn procession, the uniformed guards. These elements speak to the power and privilege inherent in royal status, even in death. Anna Paulowna, a Russian princess who became Queen of the Netherlands, lived a life steeped in the traditions of monarchy and this image underscores the distance between royalty and the common person. What is striking in the image is how the artist reduces the human figures in the carriage almost to silhouettes, obscuring their individual identities in favor of emphasizing the collective identity of the monarchy itself. The drawing also reveals the carefully constructed performance of grief, highlighting how public mourning rituals reinforced social hierarchies. As viewers, we’re left to reflect on the complex interplay between personal loss and public spectacle and to consider the lives, loves, and losses of the individuals involved.