Wigbolt Ripperda roept burgers en schutterij van Haarlem op tot verdediging van de stad, 1572 1795

Reinier Vinkeles created this print, "Wigbolt Ripperda roept burgers en schutterij van Haarlem op tot verdediging van de stad, 1572" using etching. It illustrates a pivotal moment during the Eighty Years' War, when Haarlem was under siege by Spanish forces. Vinkeles, working in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, looked back to this earlier period of conflict that shaped Dutch identity. He was an engraver, not a painter, so his work circulated as prints, making the history accessible to a wider audience. This work freezes a moment of impassioned appeal. Wigbolt Ripperda, a leader of the Haarlem defense, is depicted rallying the citizens. It’s a charged scene where men are called to defend their homes, a deeply emotional task tied to identity, family, and community. How does the posture of the men affect how you interpret the scene? What do you think they’re feeling? Vinkeles invokes not just a historical event, but also speaks to themes of resistance, courage, and the collective will of a people facing oppression. It acknowledges the painful, personal experiences which are woven into the larger fabric of war and resilience.