Slagveldscène met ruiters 1635 - 1652

Willem van Lande created this etching of a battlefield scene with horsemen sometime between 1610 and 1650. This print plunges us into the chaos of the 17th century, likely reflecting the turmoil of the Eighty Years' War, when the Dutch Republic fought for independence from Spanish rule. Notice how van Lande uses the dynamics of the battle to explore themes of conflict and power, rife in the Dutch Golden Age. The riders, locked in combat amidst smoke and fallen bodies, speak volumes about the era's military engagements and the social disruptions they caused. Prints such as this were often commissioned by military figures or those close to them and used as propaganda. Understanding the context of this work requires looking into the prints and publishing industries that were beginning to flourish in Amsterdam, and researching the war’s key battles. These resources offer crucial context, illuminating how art functions as a mirror and a shaper of its time.