Portret van Maximiliaan Emanuel II 1692 - 1713

This is a print of Maximilian Emanuel II, made by Pieter Schenk. Observe the baton he holds, a scepter of leadership, a direct echo of antiquity. Recall the Roman emperors with their staffs, symbols of command and imperial authority, that became the symbols of medieval kings, emblems of the power bestowed by divine right. The baton isn't merely a functional object; it’s a loaded signifier, its reappearance in art across centuries speaks to a deep-seated human need for authority and order. Note the theatricality of the wig and armor, gestures of an almost operatic performance of power. The collective memory of leadership, both revered and scrutinized, is condensed in these visual symbols. This emblem of power, then, isn't static. It cycles through history, sometimes a blunt instrument of force, other times a refined symbol of cultural identity. It's a motif that returns, transformed yet recognizable, engaging us in an ongoing dialogue with the past.