Servet met Londen en Willem III, koning van Engeland c. 1689 - 1699

Editor: Here we have a linen napkin dating back to around 1689-1699, titled "Servet met Londen en Willem III, koning van Engeland", or "Napkin with London and William III, King of England". It's anonymous, so we don't know who designed and wove it. It's all in white, very subtle, very elegant. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, immediately, I think, what a statement piece for a dinner party! Imagine serving your guests with something so richly symbolic. This isn't just a napkin; it's a piece of political theatre, wouldn't you say? Consider William III, strategically placed on horseback, almost mythic, framed by those glorious cityscapes and heraldic shields... It's all so very deliberate. Does the imagery perhaps strike you as unusual, perhaps contradictory? Editor: A little, yes. What contradictions do you see? Curator: Note that 'Vivat Hispaniarum Rex' slogan… 'Long live the King of Spain' but here represented on a textile to honor William the Third? Almost ironic, right? I bet this textile told many tales through the ages. Editor: So, you’re saying this napkin's all about shifting alliances and power plays? That's incredible. To think something so everyday could be so loaded with meaning! Curator: Absolutely. Everyday objects are often the most powerful communicators. Do you wonder how someone might react if such an ornate woven tableau was casually used to wipe up a smudge of gravy at table? What is ‘disrespect’ versus ‘utility’, eh? Editor: That does put a new spin on things. It's made me realise how much more there is to decorative art than meets the eye. Curator: And to realize, truly, that art thrives when context blossoms from detail!