Grafmonument voor Jacob Boreel 1697

This is Jan Goeree’s print of a funerary monument for Jacob Boreel, made in the Netherlands around the turn of the 18th century. It depicts a grand structure complete with obelisks, urns, and allegorical figures. It is a clear statement about the status and social hierarchy of this time. Goeree's image speaks to the importance of family lineage and civic duty in Dutch society. Note the prominent display of heraldic shields, a visual shorthand for the noble ancestry and elevated status of the deceased. The monument is not just a tribute to an individual, but also a declaration of family prestige and its contribution to the Dutch Republic. Such prints offer insights into the funerary practices and commemorative culture of the period. By studying the visual language of these monuments, and researching the history of the Boreel family in the Amsterdam City Archives, we can better understand the values and social structures that shaped the Dutch Golden Age. Art history, after all, is inseparable from social and institutional history.