Portret van Johan Maurits, graaf van Nassau-Siegen 1650

This portrait of Johan Maurits, Count of Nassau-Siegen, was made by Cornelis Visscher sometime between 1628 and 1658 in the Netherlands. Visscher used etching techniques to create a refined likeness of his sitter. The institutional role of portraiture in the 17th century was to celebrate the sitter's achievements and status. Johan Maurits was governor of Dutch Brazil, and also served as master of the Knights of St. John, and governor of Wesel. The armor he wears refers to his military and governmental achievements, and the Latin phrase which surrounds his portrait, "Let him be great in every corner of the world," attests to his far-reaching power. The Dutch Republic was at the time a major economic and political power, and the social structure depended on the achievements of men like Johan Maurits. To understand this portrait better, historians rely on archival sources to learn more about the lives and afterlives of its subjects. The portrait serves as a reminder that art is always embedded in larger networks of social and institutional power.