Portret van Willem Adriaan, graaf van Hornes

Christiaan Hagen created this print, "Portrait of Willem Adriaan, Count of Hornes" using etching. The portrait commemorates Willem Adriaan, a prominent military figure, General of the Artillery, during a tumultuous era marked by conflicts and shifting alliances in the Netherlands. Hagen’s rendering of Willem Adriaan presents us with a man adorned in elaborate armor, a symbol of power. Yet, it’s the Count’s extravagant wig, an emblem of status, that hints at the intersection of identity and social performance. The backdrop reveals a battle scene, reminding us of the violence and upheaval that defined the period. Hagen's choice to depict Willem Adriaan in this manner reflects the societal values placed on military prowess and nobility. The portrait performs a delicate dance between commemorating an individual and reinforcing the structures of power in 17th-century Dutch society.