Katholieke oud-burgemeesters Quirijn Dirksz. Talesius en Lambert Jacobszoon uit wraak opgehangen, 1573 1791

Reinier Vinkeles made this print depicting the vengeful hanging of two former Catholic mayors in 1773 in the Netherlands. Executions were public spectacles in the 16th and 17th centuries, used by those in power to assert dominance and deter crime. In this image, the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule provides a backdrop for the drama. The act of hanging Catholic figures could be seen as a commentary on the religious and political tensions of the time. Vinkeles, however, created this print two centuries after the event. Why? The Dutch Republic had a complex relationship with its past. It was a period marked by conflicts between religious and political factions, and the institutional memory of these conflicts shaped Dutch identity. Prints such as this offered a way to reflect on and negotiate the significance of these histories. To fully appreciate this work, it would be valuable to examine historical documents, pamphlets, and other visual sources. These can reveal contemporary attitudes towards politics, religion, and justice in the Dutch Republic.