Koning met scepter en kroon bij zijn troon 1825 - 1850

Jean-Louis Van Hemelryck created this drawing, "Koning met scepter en kroon bij zijn troon" with pen on paper. The artwork is dominated by linear forms, the composition is designed to pull the eye from the upper left, where a throne sits, to the lower right, where the figure of a man, presumably the king, is stepping down from a short staircase. The visual weight is carried by the figure, whose dramatic stride and angular pose command attention, while the throne behind him seems to recede into the background, almost an afterthought. The monochromatic palette focuses our attention on the interplay of light and shadow. Van Hemelryck seems to be using the formal elements to engage with political commentary. The fleeing figure disrupts the traditional symbol of power, the throne, thus destabilizing the established norms of representation of monarchy. This contrast emphasizes the instability and challenges inherent in portraying authority.