Portret van Maria II Stuart 1689

This engraving of Maria II Stuart was created by an anonymous artist, and its existence speaks volumes about the visual culture of monarchy. Engravings like this one circulated widely in the late 17th century, shaping public perception of the queen. Consider the visual codes at play: the pearls, the lace, and the elaborate hairstyle, each a marker of status and wealth. The Latin inscription, "Maria II, by the Grace of God, Queen of Great Britain, France, and Ireland," reinforces her divinely ordained authority. Made during a time of political upheaval in England, after the so-called Glorious Revolution, this image promotes the idea of a strong, legitimate ruler. The portrait flattens a complex historical figure, one whose reign was marked by conflict. Historians turn to prints such as these to discover not just what the queen looked like, but how the monarchy used images to shape its public image. What does the image leave out? And how did people interpret the visual representation of power? Asking these questions can reveal much about the social and institutional contexts of the time.