Portret van koning Knoet de Grote 1720 - 1725

Curator: This print, residing here at the Rijksmuseum, is entitled "Portret van koning Knoet de Grote," or "Portrait of King Canute the Great," made between 1720 and 1725 by François Morellon La Cave. Editor: My first impression is one of somewhat austere grandeur. The linearity of the engraving emphasizes the subject’s profile, lending a neoclassical formality, although the slight exaggeration of features leans toward caricature. Curator: Indeed. While seemingly classical, engravings such as this one served as vital, inexpensive forms of disseminating information and constructing historical narratives in the early 18th century. The print's existence highlights the public's burgeoning interest in historical figures. Editor: Notice how La Cave employs varying densities of line to model form. The face is relatively smooth, with delicate shading suggesting the curvature of the cheek, while the beard is a riot of parallel lines, giving it a textural weight, playing with a system of visual signifiers which contribute meaning. Curator: The historical context also gives significance to symbols included. For example, Canute, a Viking king who ruled over England, Denmark, and Norway, is often seen through nationalistic and political lenses. La Cave’s depiction participates in shaping how Canute’s legacy was perceived in the Netherlands during that time. Editor: Absolutely. Even within the portrait itself, elements like the elaborate cross and stylized fleur-de-lis serve to signal power, religion, and perhaps even a fabricated connection to noble lineages for a largely self-made monarch. The artist is not just showing us Canute, he is constructing a version of kingship through symbolic markers. Curator: I concur, La Cave has deployed the conventions of the period to frame Canute in a certain light, engaging in a process of both historical documentation and symbolic manipulation, reflecting both Canute's complex rule and the shifting social norms that existed at the time of the artist. Editor: Precisely, which goes to prove how fruitful an analysis of an artwork can be if structure and context combine, providing a robust insight into culture and artistic process.