Portret van Aartshertog Leopold Willem van Oostenrijk 1628 - 1670

This is an engraving of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, made by Pieter de Jode II, likely sometime in the mid-17th century. It presents the Archduke in the standard visual language of power and authority. Encapsulated in an oval frame and adorned with a prominent coat of arms. The portrait's visual codes provide a fascinating entry point into the social and institutional history of the time. As governor of the Habsburg Netherlands, Leopold Wilhelm's image was carefully cultivated to project an air of cultivated authority. The Latin inscription, "Timore Domini," or "fear of the Lord," points to the importance of religion in legitimizing worldly power. The engraving itself was not just a piece of art, but a tool of statecraft. Further research into the Habsburg dynasty, the role of the church, and the function of portraiture would reveal a great deal more about the historical context of this image.