Portret van Frederik Hendrik, prins van Oranje

Gerard Sibelius made this print of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange, in the eighteenth century. Though the work was made long after Frederik Hendrik’s death, prints like this one played an important role in shaping the historical memory of the Dutch Republic. The image employs a number of visual codes. The armor, of course, signifies military leadership. But note also the laurel wreath, and the classical column in the background. Through these symbols, Frederik Hendrik is presented as a figure of timeless greatness. Representations such as this one helped to solidify the Prince’s status as a national hero, and thus to reinforce the power of the ruling House of Orange. For the historian, images of this kind are valuable sources, not just for what they depict, but for what they reveal about the social and political functions of art. By looking at the printmaking industry in the Netherlands, and the institutions of power that supported it, we can better understand the cultural dynamics of the period.