Cœnotaphiorum (19) 1563

This print, Cœnotaphiorum (19), was made by Hans Vredeman de Vries in the late 16th or early 17th century. It gives us a striking view of a grand memorial. De Vries was from the Netherlands, a place and time with significant social change as the Dutch Republic was establishing its independence. The print reflects the period’s fascination with classical architecture. Cenotaphs, or empty tombs, were popular among the elite, so this image speaks to the concerns of a particular social class. We might ask, what does it mean to memorialize someone in this way? By studying architectural treatises, social histories, and the biographies of the patrons who commissioned such monuments, we can better understand the complex relationship between art, power, and memory in the early modern period.