De prins van Oranje verwelkomd op de trappen van de landingsplaats

Antoni van Leest created this woodcut titled 'The Prince of Orange Welcomed at the Landing Stairs' sometime before 1592. Van Leest was working in a tumultuous time in the Netherlands, during its revolt against Spanish rule. In the print, we see the Prince of Orange, a key figure in the Dutch resistance, being greeted, presumably after arriving by sea. The act of 'welcome' becomes politically charged in this context. It suggests not just courtesy, but also allegiance and support. The very act of depicting this scene serves as propaganda, strengthening the Dutch identity and cause. Consider what it must have felt like to be Dutch at this moment in history. The emotional weight of such imagery, the sense of hope or defiance it could inspire. This is more than just an image of a historical event; it is a carefully constructed narrative designed to shape public sentiment and galvanize a nation.