Willem Carel Hendrik Friso, Prince d'Orange & Nassou 1725 - 1780

This print of Willem Carel Hendrik Friso, Prince of Orange & Nassau, was created by Johannes Kannewet. The two-dimensional surface is activated by an intricate network of lines, shapes, heraldic symbols, and allegorical figures, all contained within an ornamental border. The limited use of colour adds just enough information. Kannewet’s composition seems to be playing with semiotic structures. The representation of the Prince on horseback signifies power, yet it is presented in a manner that complicates any straightforward reading of authority. The horse's unconventional markings destabilize the conventional heroic imagery. The surrounding ornamentation is laden with symbols, but their arrangement doesn’t give any clear narrative. The artist challenges fixed meanings and engages with new ways of thinking about representation. It is as if the artist is inviting us to question the very notion of representation and to see how symbols can function beyond their intended purposes. The artwork becomes a site of questioning rather than a declaration of power.