Portret van Willem III, prins van Oranje 1670 - 1693

Editor: This is a print of Willem III, Prince of Orange, created sometime between 1670 and 1693 by Pieter Schenk, here at the Rijksmuseum. It's a fairly formal portrait, but something about the landscape visible behind him suggests a world beyond courtly life. What strikes you about this image? Curator: It’s all in the balance, isn't it? Court and country, power and… well, perceived powerlessness, I suppose. This image tries to capture it all! Think of it: Willem, posed so deliberately, almost overflowing with baroque finery; yet he’s situated by that window, which is neither fully ‘in’ nor ‘out’. Like he’s straddling different realms. And what’s he looking at, I wonder? Are his eyes drawn by the light out there, or perhaps the artist directs him… us! To be conscious about those rabbits in the landscape. Why rabbits you ask? Because it is a hunt, it is power! Editor: So, you're seeing the landscape not just as background, but as a symbolic space that relates to Willem’s position and aspirations? It does seem very carefully placed. Curator: Exactly! See those curls? Not a hair out of place. Every detail meticulously crafted to project an image of power. I always feel with portraits, especially ones like these, it is a constructed moment, curated for us to ingest. And that open window; that light coming in. That suggests a kind of enlightened rule. The landscape…it whispers promises. Makes me wonder about Schenk's own sympathies; the balance shifts depending on where your gaze lingers. What do *you* think? Editor: It's interesting how the controlled portrait contrasts with the wildness of the landscape, making me consider Willem's ambitions and what was at stake. Curator: Precisely! The tension! The promise! It is an entire statement within this engraving, isn't it? These are some thoughts I will continue to process over a tea or coffee and hope this helps.