Fotoreproductie van een geschilderd portret van Philippe le Bon door Rogier van der Weyden before 1860

This photogravure of a painted portrait of Philippe le Bon is by Joseph Maes, who was born in 1838 and died in 1908. It’s a reproduction of a painting by Rogier van der Weyden. Within this book, the portrait of Philip the Good becomes more than just an image. It serves as a focal point for exploring notions of power, lineage, and cultural identity in the Burgundian state. The original portrait would have been commissioned as an emblem of ducal authority. Here, the portrait is reproduced, and has become a tool for historical narrative. Maes’ photogravure of the painting invites us to consider how images shape our understanding of history. What stories do we tell ourselves about the past, and whose voices are amplified or silenced in the process?