Willem III woont als koning een zitting bij van het parlement, 1689 1689

Pieter Pickaert created this engraving entitled 'Willem III woont als koning een zitting bij van het parlement' in 1689. It depicts King William III attending a session of parliament. Looking at this image, we might consider the relationship between power and representation at a pivotal moment in British history. This work invites us to consider the construction of political authority. Notice how the artist uses the setting, the architecture and the arrangement of figures to convey a sense of order. This piece reflects the transition of power and the establishment of a new political order. The artist’s choices reveal the emphasis on portraying the king as part of a formal, almost theatrical, event. This piece invites us to question how power dynamics were visually constructed and communicated in the late 17th century, and how these representations shaped contemporary understandings of governance and authority.