Willem II (1792-1849), koning der Nederlanden c. 1840

This is a portrait of Willem II, King of the Netherlands, made with watercolour on ivory by Louis Henri de Fontenay. Though undated, the work speaks to the cultural importance of portraiture in the 19th century as a tool of nation-building. Willem II's military dress, complete with epaulettes and medals, projects an image of strength and authority, something of particular importance in the relatively new constitutional monarchy established after the Napoleonic wars. Such images reinforced the power of the monarchy, visually legitimizing the royal line and giving it a tangible human face. The ornate frame further embellishes the idea of royalty. These visual codes of power were significant for the Dutch monarchy. For historians, understanding this image means researching the social and political conditions in the Netherlands, to grasp the public role of royal imagery. The history of art helps us understand the political and social functions of images like this.