Portret van Henry Vane 1742

Jacob Houbraken created this engraving of Henry Vane. Considered a martyr for liberty, Vane, an English politician who defended colonial self-governance, sits encircled by an ornate frame. Houbraken produced this print at a time when the Dutch Republic was reflecting on its own history of resistance against monarchical power. Vane's support for colonial rights, though progressive for his time, was undoubtedly complex. His identity as an educated, land-owning man from England inherently placed him in a position of power over many. And his economic status was likely intertwined with the exploitation of labor and resources in the colonies. The drape and laurel surrounding Vane may remind us of classical ideals of republicanism, yet the axe at the bottom signifies Vane’s beheading for treason. Houbraken asks us to consider the complexities of advocating for freedom, and the price one might pay. This portrait encapsulates the tensions between liberty, power, and sacrifice.