Huwelijk van prins Willem II en Maria Stuart, 1641 1641

Reinier van Persijn created this engraving of the marriage of Prince William II and Mary Stuart in 1641. The image celebrates a union that was highly significant for the Dutch Republic and for European politics more widely. This print depicts the wedding as a staged event within a grand interior, complete with witnesses and symbolic figures. The presence of cherubs and the dove of the Holy Spirit infuses the dynastic union with divine approval. The composition emphasizes the importance of lineage, with the royal parents seated prominently to the left. This marriage was, in effect, a political alliance, connecting the Dutch House of Orange with the English monarchy. Historical sources, such as diplomatic correspondence and family records, help us understand the full implications of this event. The print serves not just as a record, but as a piece of political communication, reinforcing the power and legitimacy of the ruling families, and their claims to divine favor. The meaning of art is always contingent on the social and institutional context in which it was produced and consumed.