Portret van C.A. vanden Broeck op een grafmonument 1811 - 1813

Jacob Hugo Hoedt made this print of C. A. vanden Broeck’s funerary monument around 1811. The image depicts a monument dedicated to the deceased with allegorical figures of mourning flanking it. Such memorials were common in the Netherlands, reflecting the cultural values of the era. They also point to the social status of the deceased, in this case, a reverend from Rotterdam. The use of classical imagery and symbolism suggests a desire to connect with a broader European tradition, while the inclusion of Dutch text underscores a local identity. The image speaks to the institutional power of the church in Dutch society and the ways in which religious leaders were memorialized and remembered. By studying the material culture of the time, including prints like this one, we gain insight into the social and cultural values of the Dutch Republic in the early 19th century. Researching period documents, church records, and other archival materials can provide a more complete picture of Vanden Broeck's life and the society in which he lived.