Portret van Maria Theresia, Rooms-Duits keizerin c. 1826 - 1850

This is Nicolas Maurin's lithographic portrait of Maria Theresa, Holy Roman Empress, made sometime before Maurin's death in 1850. The portrait is interesting when we think about how it was made, and when. Consider the rise of lithography as a relatively new, accessible, and reproducible medium. Also consider the historical context: Maria Theresa, who lived in the 18th century, was a powerful woman in a male-dominated world. The portrait, created decades after her death, immortalizes her image, reinforcing her legacy as a strong, capable ruler. Maurin's portrait captures Maria Theresa in regal attire: her gaze, directed off to the side, suggests thoughtfulness and perhaps a hint of melancholy. Note how the soft shading and delicate lines add a sense of humanity to the Empress, softening the rigid power structures she inhabited. It brings forth a sense of personal depth to the representation of power, inviting us to consider the person behind the imperial image.