Schild van keizer Karel V c. 1850 - 1863

Charles Clifford made this photograph of a shield of Emperor Charles V sometime in the mid-19th century. The image on the shield depicts battle scenes, reflecting the glorification of military prowess and imperial power prevalent in European monarchies. Clifford was a key figure in documenting Spanish art and architecture during the reign of Isabella II, when Spain was trying to present itself as a modern nation-state, heir to a global empire. Photography at the time played a crucial role in shaping cultural memory and national identity. The shield itself is a historical artifact, an object commissioned by or for royalty. Clifford's photograph thus freezes a moment in the afterlife of royal power. Photographs like this were often commissioned by institutions for historical record, or reproduced for commercial purposes. The historian can use these kinds of institutional archives to understand both the history of art and the history of the institutions that support it.