Slag bij Malplaquet, 1709 1729

This print by Jan Wandelaar depicts the Battle of Malplaquet, fought in 1709. Created some decades later, the print's ornamental frame, complete with cherubs and heraldic symbols, elevates the battle to an almost mythical status. The image itself is a bird's-eye view of the battlefield, a visual style common in military cartography of the period. Made in the Netherlands, this print reflects the Dutch Republic's prominent role in the War of the Spanish Succession, of which the Battle of Malplaquet was a part. The Dutch were deeply invested in the conflict, and images like this served to inform and shape public opinion about the war. To fully understand this print, we need to examine military records, political pamphlets, and other visual representations of the battle. Art history, in this instance, is inseparable from broader social and institutional histories.