Fotoreproductie van twee portretten van Wilhelm I op een leeftijd van 46 jaar before 1897

Curator: Here we have a photo reproduction of two pencil portraits dating to before 1897, depicting Wilhelm I at the age of 46. The portraits appear to be on paper. Editor: My first impression is a stark, almost clinical, detachment. The limited medium and subdued tones evoke a feeling of distance and constraint. Curator: Absolutely. Wilhelm I was a pivotal figure in 19th-century German history, and the way his image was constructed and disseminated played a key role in shaping national identity. These portraits, though seemingly simple drawings, are part of a larger visual language. Editor: I see how that is so interesting within a network of institutional and political needs, these drawings almost serve as a memorandum in a way. The dual representation, does it play into a duality of the King's authority, or maybe some sort of military-political dynamic in the public role he performed? Curator: Indeed. The parallel depictions invite us to think about representation, power, and masculinity within a militaristic society. Wilhelm I’s reign was marked by the unification of Germany, wars, and complex negotiations for power and the drawings represent that era and his identity perfectly. Editor: And the decision to reproduce these as drawings rather than perhaps a photograph which was becoming accessible. Its intriguing that the drawing almost makes the monarch vulnerable or touchable, when in truth they are very much an authority. Curator: Precisely, and it reflects art's public role and how images of leadership and legacy were circulated and shaped in 19th century. The drawing becomes less a portrayal and more an instrument, almost propagandistic, especially as reproduced in this fashion. Editor: The interplay of the accessible drawing with the inaccessible role. I never considered that tension so explicitly. Curator: Examining these pieces allows us a unique entry point into considering power structures and portraiture. Editor: Thanks to your work here, what at first appeared to be another old drawing comes into focus as a powerful reflection on representation and how even pencil strokes become part of political history.