Portret van Willem I Frederik, koning der Nederlanden 1880 - 1912

Editor: So, this is a print of a photograph of Willem I Frederik, King of the Netherlands, attributed to Dirk Gerardus Schnabel and created sometime between 1880 and 1912. It definitely has a regal air about it, a bit…stiff? What do you see in this portrait, beyond the obvious trappings of power? Curator: Ah, stiff… perhaps. Or maybe a man burdened, as monarchs often are, with duty! I see a portrait steeped in the visual language of nation-building, attempting to craft a national identity, and using the relatively new medium of photography to distribute this idealized image to the masses. This is a man carefully presented. Note the sharp focus, the careful rendering of his attire. Ask yourself, what narratives about the monarchy do these details promote? Editor: Well, the uniform, the star… They speak of power and authority, obviously. It's all very… deliberate. Does that make sense? It almost feels like propaganda. Curator: Propaganda, yes, a loaded term, but it touches on the essence of these types of images! Portraits of monarchs rarely are 'just portraits', aren't they? And don't get bogged down by that term. Just look closer. It’s a careful dance between asserting authority and projecting accessibility, even benevolence. Do you feel any connection with him or does the stiffness push you away? Editor: I think it keeps me at arm's length. The perfection is too perfect! Curator: Precisely. He's not really trying to be *human*, is he? Instead, he is embodying the role of the king! Editor: That makes sense! I suppose it tells me more about the image the monarchy wanted to project, than about the King himself. Curator: Absolutely. The portrait whispers of a specific era, of manufactured representation. Thank you, what do you take away from that? Editor: I'll certainly consider portraits in their social context from now on, not just as representations of an individual!