Portret van koning Gustaaf III van Zweden 1773

This is Cornelis van Noorde's portrait of King Gustav III of Sweden. A seemingly simple profile bust, its symbolic resonance echoes through time. Encircling the sovereign is an oval frame, a motif reminiscent of ancient Roman imperial portraiture, meant to evoke authority and timelessness. The very act of memorializing a ruler in profile hearkens back to the visual language of emperors and gods. This wasn't merely about resemblance. It was about invoking power, legitimacy, and a connection to a lineage of leadership stretching back to antiquity. Consider how portraiture evolved through Renaissance medals, carrying similar echoes of Roman ideals. Each iteration reinscribes the past, blending it with the present aspirations of the portrayed. The image imprints itself upon the viewer’s psyche, not merely as a likeness, but as a symbol laden with historical weight, ever re-emerging in altered forms. The King is no longer just a man but an icon, continually reborn in our collective visual memory.