Graaf Arnulf 1517 - 1530

This is a woodcut of Graaf Arnulf, made by an anonymous artist. In this small print, we see a figure who is both regal and obscured. Arnulf is adorned with a crown of leaves, but his eyes are covered by a scarf. A staff grounds him, yet his other hand is open, as if offering or pleading. The image evokes questions of power and perception: What does it mean to be seen, to be recognized, and to have one’s identity known or hidden? The print invites a dialogue between visibility and obscurity, challenging the notion of representation as a straightforward act. Graaf Arnulf is visually accessible, yet his obscured eyes suggest deeper layers of meaning. Perhaps, in his partial concealment, there is a commentary on the ways in which historical figures are remembered— or how memory itself obscures the truth.