Lijkstatie van Wolter J.G. baron Bentinck, Amsterdam 28 augustus 1781 1781

Simon Fokke made this print of the funeral procession of Wolter Bentinck in Amsterdam on August 28, 1781. The image serves not just as a record but as a statement about social hierarchy. In 18th-century Netherlands, funerals of prominent figures were grand public events, reinforcing social structures. Fokke’s detailed rendering captures this spectacle, with its long procession of mourners, horse-drawn carriages, and the backdrop of Amsterdam’s architecture. The procession becomes a stage upon which social rank is publicly displayed and affirmed. The work offers a glimpse into the complex social dynamics of the Dutch Republic, where class distinctions were pronounced. Visual sources like this can be supplemented with archival research such as genealogical records, newspaper reports, and city ordinances to develop a richer, more nuanced understanding of the period. This print underscores how art often functions within specific social and institutional contexts, shaping our perceptions of history and power.