Vier zegels 1768 - 1796

Pieter de Mare made this undated print, Vier Zegels, using etching and engraving. The print presents four seals depicting regal figures. Seals served as symbols of authority, validating documents and asserting power. Their repeated depiction here points to the social and institutional importance of authority in the Netherlands. We can analyze these seals to learn about the structures of power in the Dutch Republic and the cultural values it embraced. The imagery, inscription, and even the materials used in the seals offer insights into the political landscape of the time. Were these seals revolutionary for their time or conservative? By studying historical documents, archives, and collections of similar artifacts, we can better understand the meaning and significance of these seals within their original social and institutional context. This type of analysis reminds us that art and history are always intertwined.