Optocht van de schutters langs de Haarlemmertrekvaart bij de intocht van koningin Henrietta Maria te Amsterdam, 1642 (linkerblad) 1642

Pieter Nolpe created this print in the Netherlands, depicting the procession of Queen Henrietta Maria in Amsterdam. It's made using the intaglio process of etching, where lines are incised into a metal plate, inked, and then transferred to paper under high pressure. The etched lines lend a graphic quality to the scene, describing the figures and landscape with precision. Look closely and you can see how the material properties of metal and paper define the image. The sharp lines create a sense of depth and movement, essential for conveying the scale of the event. Prints like this played a vital role in disseminating information and shaping public opinion in the 17th century. Nolpe’s print celebrates Dutch civic pride, and subtly conveys the immense labor involved in organizing such a spectacle. The presence of livestock in the foreground further emphasizes the economic basis that underpinned the procession, reminding us that art and life were deeply intertwined.