Royal Portraits and Title Pages from "Acta Regia" Possibly 1726 - 1727

Michiel van der Gucht created this collection of royal portraits and title pages for "Acta Regia," likely in England during the late 17th or early 18th century. The "Acta Regia" itself was a record of official acts and proclamations, so this collection of portraits would have been deeply entwined with the politics of imagery. The creation of these images speaks to the institutional history of the English monarchy and the ways it sought to legitimize its power through visual representation. Van der Gucht’s portraits would have contributed to a visual culture that reinforced the authority and lineage of the ruling family. To understand these images fully, we might consult archives, libraries, and historical societies. By examining the social conditions that shaped artistic production, we can better appreciate the role of art as something contingent on social and institutional context.