Sterfbed van Frederik Hendrik, 1647 1853 - 1855

Albertus Anthonius Nunnink made this print titled, ‘Sterfbed van Frederik Hendrik,’ or ‘Deathbed of Frederik Hendrik,’ sometime in the 19th century. The print depicts a historical scene in which the Stadtholder Frederik Hendrik dies surrounded by mourners. As a genre scene depicting the death of an important person, this print participates in a long tradition of history painting. Prints like these became very popular in the Netherlands during the 19th century, a time of intense nationalism. They helped to visualize and popularize key moments from Dutch history and to cement a sense of national identity. The Rijksmuseum itself was founded during this period of nation-building, opening its doors in 1885. Prints were collected by the museum for their documentary value, as well as for their aesthetic qualities. The museum played an important role in shaping national identity by determining which aspects of the past were worth remembering and celebrating. To understand this print better, researchers might look into the history of Dutch nationalism in the 19th century and examine other popular prints from that time.