Koning Hendrik IV te paard, wijzend naar de stad Parijs 1754

Editor: This is "King Henry IV on Horseback, Pointing to the City of Paris", an engraving made in 1754 by Jacques Aliamet. It looks like it’s a print. The scene has this strong, almost theatrical air about it. What story is being told here? Curator: Consider how Aliamet uses the horse itself. The horse, a symbol of power and nobility throughout history, here embodies controlled energy. Henry IV points toward Paris, yes, but it's not merely an act of location. The gesture speaks to ambition, ownership, even destiny. What resonates most powerfully with you in this composition? Editor: I'm struck by the city in the background—Paris feels almost like the prize in this scenario. Curator: Precisely! Cities often symbolize civilization, progress, or even salvation, or its opposite, depending on cultural context. By presenting Paris as the object of Henry's ambition, Aliamet taps into centuries of association. It acts like a promised land in an allegorical narrative. It transforms the personal ambition of King Henry IV into something beyond simple territorial conquest. The scene suggests continuity with historical archetypes of great rulers. What could this tell us about collective memory in the 18th century, when the print was made? Editor: I suppose the artist is drawing on shared understandings of leadership and nationhood to create meaning? Curator: Exactly. We bring to this image our individual experience, of course. But we are guided in our seeing by how Aliamet channels and manipulates established meanings. Editor: That's given me a lot to think about. It is amazing how much history can be packed into an image like this. Curator: And how an image continues to participate in the evolving narratives of history.