Drie historische figuren in gesprek 1722 - 1784

Simon Fokke created this print titled "Drie historische figuren in gesprek," or "Three historical figures in conversation". It reflects the Dutch Republic's fascination with its own history and the construction of national identity through representations of its influential figures. The figures depicted, Jan Antoni van Mesmes, Coenraad van Beuningen, and Hieronymus Beverningk, were key players in the political landscape of the 17th century. As members of the ruling class, these men shaped policies that had far-reaching implications for the social and economic lives of both the Dutch and those in its colonies. The very act of immortalizing them speaks to the values and priorities of Fokke’s time, a period grappling with its own place in the unfolding story of the Netherlands. Fokke's detailed engraving invites us to reflect on who gets remembered and how history is shaped by those in power, while prompting us to reflect on the stories that remain untold.