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William II, Prince of Orange, and his Bride, Mary Stuart by Anthony van Dyck

Anthony van Dyck · 1641-01-01

View the artwork: William II, Prince of Orange, and his Bride, Mary Stuart →

This is Anthony van Dyck's 1641 double portrait of nine-year-old Mary Stuart and fourteen-year-old William II, Prince of Orange, now in the Rijksmuseum. It commemorates a dynastic marriage that was as much a political transaction as a royal ceremony.

Look at William's gloved hand. His finger rests deliberately on Mary's wedding ring, a simple gold band. Then find the enormous diamond brooch on her dress. The groom's father, Frederik Hendrik, had it made by an Antwerp jeweler and gave it to Mary the day after the ceremony.

Mary was the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England. Because her royal status outranked William's, she stands on the viewer's left, the honorific side, reversing the usual placement for a bride. Van Dyck was the leading court painter in England at the time and died later that same year, making this one of his last major commissions.

The painting stayed in the House of Orange-Nassau for over 150 years, passing through royal palaces until it was nationalized in 1795 and entered the Rijksmuseum in 1808. What do you think a nine-year-old understood of the day she wore that diamond?

#arthistory #anthonyvandyck #rijksmuseum

Details

The legal and emotional crux of the painting: William's right hand holds Mary's as the Roman marriage rite; his other hand subtly directs the viewer's eye to her ring finger.
The legal and emotional crux of the painting: William's right hand holds Mary's as the Roman marriage rite; his other hand subtly directs the viewer's eye to her ring finger.
Nine-year-old princess rendered with solemn composure; her youth against the weight of dynastic duty is immediately readable.
Nine-year-old princess rendered with solemn composure; her youth against the weight of dynastic duty is immediately readable.
Fourteen-year-old groom gazes outward with studied aristocratic gravity, contrasting Mary's more inward expression.
Fourteen-year-old groom gazes outward with studied aristocratic gravity, contrasting Mary's more inward expression.
Virtuoso passage of Van Dyck's silks , the woven pattern and reflected light capture the stiffness of cloth-of-silver worn by royalty.
Virtuoso passage of Van Dyck's silks , the woven pattern and reflected light capture the stiffness of cloth-of-silver worn by royalty.
Slashed doublet with lace falling collar; the saturated red commands the right half of the canvas and signals martial princely rank.
Slashed doublet with lace falling collar; the saturated red commands the right half of the canvas and signals martial princely rank.
Transcript

They were married in London. She was nine. He was fourteen. A prince in black gloves. Now look at their joined hands. His finger rests on her plain gold wedding ring. But the real prize is pinned to her chest. A huge diamond brooch, a gift from the groom's father. The ring sealed a union. The diamond sealed an alliance.