Zinneprent ter nagedachtenis aan Maria Stuart, 1695 1695

Pieter Schenk created this print in 1695 as a memorial to Mary Stuart. It presents us with both a personal lament and a statement about the politics of succession in the Dutch Republic. We see a tomb, and a grieving cherub who represents love with his broken bow and arrow. The Latin inscription tells us this is the tomb of Mary, Queen of Scots. But why would a Dutch artist commemorate a Scottish Queen? The answer lies in Mary’s descendants; her grandson, William of Orange, became King of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1689. Schenk’s print is a piece of political propaganda, affirming the legitimacy of the Stuart monarchy, and a symbolic representation of Dutch and British alliance. The image is more than a memorial; it’s a statement of dynastic power. As historians, we look to sources beyond the image itself: political pamphlets, letters, and other historical documents. These help us to fully understand the complex web of political and cultural forces that shaped its creation.