Portret van Maximiliaan de Hennin, graaf van Bossu 1573

Paulus van Wtewael created this engraving of Maximiliaan de Hennin, Count of Bossu, in 1622. It is an intriguing image that blends personal portraiture with potent symbols of social status and political power. Bossu is depicted in full armor, signifying his military authority and aristocratic standing in the Dutch Republic. The inclusion of his coat of arms and a naval scene in the background underscores his lineage and naval command, key signifiers in a society deeply engaged with maritime trade and naval power. The engraving was made during the Eighty Years' War, a period of intense conflict between the Dutch Republic and Spain. Bossu himself played a significant role in these events. This engraving can be situated in relation to broader cultural and political discourses through archival research into Bossu's career, the printseller's records, and the political climate of the Dutch Republic. Such images reinforce social hierarchies, but also provide today's art historians insight into the individuals who shaped their world.