Stamboom van het Huis Nassau

This is a copperplate engraving of the Stamboom van het Huis Nassau, or family tree of the House of Nassau. Though the artist is currently unknown, this print comes to us from around the 17th or 18th century when the Dutch Republic was a major power. Family trees were tools to assert status, political power, and succession rights, and we can see how this intersects with social hierarchies and power dynamics in the print. This engraving presents an abridged version of the Nassau lineage, linking noble houses through marriage, and mapping the geographic distribution of power across Europe. The structure visually reinforces patriarchal lines of descent, which were crucial for maintaining social and economic standing, but also invites questions about how women have shaped these bloodlines. Though this piece is very much a product of its time, it still gives us an emotional connection to both identity and history, and reminds us to think about the stories that get told, and the ones that are left out.