Portrait of Henriette Marie (1626-51), Countess Palatine. Daughter of Frederik V, King of Bohemia, called the 'Winter King' 1640 - 1650

Alexander Cooper painted this portrait of Henriette Marie, Countess Palatine, in the mid-17th century, using watercolour on ivory. It's a miniature, likely intended to be worn as a pendant. These small portraits were luxury goods, reflecting the sitter's status and wealth. Born into royalty, Henriette Marie's life was deeply affected by the political turmoil of the era; her father's short reign as King of Bohemia triggered the Thirty Years' War. Alexander Cooper worked across Europe, serving royalist clients in exile during the English Commonwealth. This portrait speaks to the close-knit network of European royalty. The image creates meaning through visual codes of status: pearls, fashionable hairstyle, and fine clothing. We can study letters, diaries, and financial records to reveal the social conditions that shaped Cooper's artistic production. Art history shows us that the meaning of art is always contingent on social and institutional contexts.