Portretten van vorsten uit het Huis Habsburg 1620

Franciscus Schelhauer created this print, "Portretten van vorsten uit het Huis Habsburg," sometime in the past. What strikes you first is the regimented display of portraits. Each ruler is neatly confined within a grid, their faces rendered with tight, precise lines. This ordered structure evokes a sense of historical continuity and dynastic power. But consider how this very structure could be interpreted as a symbolic containment. Each portrait, while individualized, is also part of a larger pattern, suggesting that the rulers are subject to the constraints and expectations of their lineage. The use of engraving as a medium reinforces this sense of control. The sharp, unyielding lines leave little room for ambiguity, emphasizing the formal and official nature of these representations. We could say that Schelhauer, through this rigid composition, is commenting not only on the power of the Habsburg dynasty, but also on the formal conventions that shape how power is perceived and represented.