Ferdinand VI als opvolger van Filips V ten midden van zijn familie 1739

Pieter Tanjé created this print, "Ferdinand VI as successor to Philip V in the midst of his family," without a specified date. It presents a formal depiction of succession, laden with symbols of power and lineage. The most striking motif is the crown, presented as both a symbol of authority and a physical object of inheritance. Crowns appear above portraits of rulers and are carried by cherubic figures. This symbol resonates across centuries, from ancient Roman laurel wreaths signifying triumph, to medieval coronations, each iteration embedding notions of divine right and inherited power. These symbols tap into deep-seated psychological desires for order and stability, using the visual language of power to reassure viewers of continuity. This iconography, however, is not static. The scepter, the heraldic shields, even the clothing, each element carries its own history, evolving and adapting to new cultural contexts, reminding us that power itself is a performance, constantly renegotiated and represented.