Willem knielt voor Filips de Goede en Godelive 1842

Michel Mourot created this print depicting Willem kneeling before Filips de Goede en Godelieve. Mourot, who lived through the tumult of post-revolutionary France, created this lithograph, which now resides in the Rijksmuseum, reflecting a complex interplay of power, gender, and historical narrative. The image portrays Willem in a posture of submission before Filips de Goede, or Philip the Good, and Saint Godelieve, highlighting a dynamic of fealty and reverence. We should consider the ways in which such visual representations not only codified historical narratives, but also reinforced societal structures which supported a system of deference. Godelieve, the patron saint of abused women, stands adjacent to Philip. What does it mean to juxtapose female suffering alongside masculine authority? Mourot’s print invites us to consider the power dynamics inherent in historical and religious narratives, prompting us to reflect on the voices that are amplified and those that are suppressed.