Portret, mogelijk van Alfons V van Aragón 1640 - 1700

This engraving, likely from the 17th or 18th century, was made by an artist known only by the initials I. L. It depicts a bust of a man identified as Alphonse the Great, King of Aragon and Naples. Images of rulers like this one were central to the creation of a public image. Note how Alphonse is shown wearing antique armour, presenting him as a powerful warrior-king, like the Roman emperors of old. This type of imagery was especially important in legitimizing the power of monarchs. Alphonse V ruled in the 15th century, but the style of this print suggests it was made much later. The print may have been commissioned as an element of a dynastic history, or a book celebrating famous rulers. Understanding the visual language of power in prints like this requires us to look into books of emblems and devices, royal commissions, and the publishing industry. The meaning of this image resides in the social and institutional context of its making.