Portret van Floris IV, graaf van Holland 1650

Cornelis Visscher created this engraving, "Portret van Floris IV, graaf van Holland," around the mid-17th century. Visscher, working in the Dutch Golden Age, operated within a society undergoing major shifts in religious and political power, and the art of portraiture became an important tool for shaping public image and historical memory. This portrait, though of a historical figure from centuries prior, resonates with Visscher’s contemporary concerns around leadership and national identity. Floris IV, depicted in full military regalia, embodies strength and authority, yet there’s also a careful crafting of the image meant to evoke a sense of the past. The Latin text surrounding the image, praises Floris’s virtues and accomplishments, idealizing him as a model ruler. Who was this image for? What stories were they telling themselves about their nation and its leaders? Consider how the projection of power, then and now, shapes our understanding of history and identity.