Verdrinkingsdood van prins Johan Willem Friso 1815 - 1840

Johannes Steyn created this print, "Drowning of Prince Johan Willem Friso," using etching. This piece captures a moment of stark tragedy and political significance. Steyn, who lived through a period of significant social and political change in the Netherlands, depicts the 1711 drowning of Prince Johan Willem Friso. The prince was a pivotal figure, his death reshaping the political landscape, particularly regarding the House of Orange's influence. The print serves not only as a historical record, but also as a lens through which we can view the social values and the construction of power in the 18th and 19th century Netherlands. The turbulent scene is emotionally charged. The dramatic depiction of figures struggling in the water evokes themes of mortality, the fragility of power, and the unpredictability of fate. How does the depiction of the chaos, the overturned carriage, the desperate figures, reflect the broader anxieties about succession, power, and the future?