George, Prince of Denmark 1745

Curator: This is Jacobus Houbraken’s engraving of George, Prince of Denmark, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s surprisingly detailed. I am immediately drawn to the fineness of the lines used to depict his wig – it’s almost overwhelming. Curator: The wig definitely speaks to a certain era, and the armor peeking from beneath his cravat signals power, doesn’t it? Symbols that resonate with status. Editor: More than status, I see the process of its making as crucial to understanding power. It’s a print; it was made for distribution. What does it mean to reproduce royal imagery? Curator: Ah, dissemination of the royal image… how interesting. He is forever preserved, made an icon. And consider the anchor – a symbol of hope, steadfastness, and perhaps his role in naval affairs? Editor: The anchor is such a heavy, manufactured object, isn’t it? It makes me think about the labor needed to produce and use it, and the economic networks that supported the Prince. Curator: It’s a powerful reminder of the layers of meaning embedded within seemingly straightforward portraiture. Editor: Indeed, seeing the artwork through the lens of its materiality opens up entirely new avenues of understanding.