Filippo Strozzi in Frankrijk gevangen genomen, 1569 1569 - 1573

This is Frans Hogenberg’s 1569 print depicting ‘Filippo Strozzi in Frankrijk gevangen genomen’. It visualizes the capture of Filippo Strozzi in France, and it is a commentary on the turbulent 16th-century religious conflicts. Made in the Netherlands, it demonstrates an early form of news illustration. The print served as a tool for disseminating information during a time of intense religious and political upheaval in Europe. The visual codes within, such as the arrangement and depiction of military forces, communicate the events to a public hungry for information. The print invites us to consider the role of art in shaping public opinion during the Reformation, when the printing press allowed for mass communication. By studying such images, historians can better understand the social and institutional contexts that shaped artistic production. Further study in archives, libraries, and other collections would shed light on the artist’s intentions, the print's reception, and its role in shaping contemporary understandings of the conflict.