Dood van Hendrik II, 1559 1570

Editor: This is "Death of Henry II" by Jean Perrissin, made around 1570. It's an engraving, so a print. The detail is incredible! It shows the king on his deathbed surrounded by people. The mood is definitely somber and feels very performative, everyone seems to have a role to play. What do you see in this piece? Curator: What I see is a carefully constructed narrative deeply embedded in the political and social realities of the time. Consider the role of prints like this in disseminating information and shaping public opinion. It presents the King's death not just as a personal tragedy, but as a public event with immense consequences. Who benefits from this particular portrayal of the scene? Who is being excluded and why? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. I guess I was focusing on the individual drama of the scene. So, the way the King's death is framed here could serve a particular agenda? Curator: Absolutely. Think about the figures present – their clothing, their expressions. How does Perrissin use visual cues to convey power, grief, or perhaps even something more ambiguous? This isn't simply a record of an event; it's an interpretation, and interpretations are never neutral. The print makes visible how political power shapes even death. Consider also the women present, positioned to emphasize the male line of power, a subtle reinforcement of patriarchal structures in the face of political instability. Editor: That’s a very different way of looking at it. I focused so much on it as just an illustration, I missed how much it tells you about the power dynamics of the time. Thanks! Curator: It’s about understanding that images are never neutral; they participate in the narratives that shape our world. Paying attention to whose stories are being told, and how, can lead to all kinds of insights.