Triomfpoort opgericht op de Kaasrui before 1685

This etching shows a triumphal arch on the Kaasrui in Antwerp by Gaspar Bouttats, who was active in the second half of the 17th century. Triumphal arches were erected for important civic or religious celebrations, and they served as backdrops for processions. The image creates meaning through its use of classical architectural elements and allegorical figures, visually associating the event with the grandeur of Roman imperial power. Antwerp was part of the Spanish Netherlands at this time, a Catholic region which saw such displays as important affirmations of political and religious authority. This one was built by the Jesuit Order. We can better understand Bouttats’s image by seeing how it fits into the larger history of festival culture and civic ritual in the early modern period. To do so, we can turn to archival sources such as city records, religious pamphlets, and personal diaries. By paying attention to the social and institutional contexts of art, we can come to a richer understanding of its meaning.